Tamil Nadu: Vehicular movement halted in Coonoor after landslide

COONOOR: Vehicular movement ground to a halt after a landslide struck the Burliyar area of Coonoor in the Nilgiris district following heavy rainfall in parts of Tamil Nadu. Long trails of vehicles on both sides of the road could be seen in the visuals from the spot.

Earlier this week, severe cyclonic storm Michaung unleashed its fury on Chennai, Tiruvallur, and the Kanchipuram districts and parts of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, causing widespread damage to both states. In the aftermath of Cyclone Michaungm, persistent rainfall lashed several parts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, leading to extensive flooding.

The showers continued unabated on Saturday as well. Amid the severe fallout of the cyclone and its aftermath, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a relief package, which includes cash assistance of Rs 6,000 each to those affected and increased compensation in various categories, including enhanced payouts for flood-affected crops for farmers.

The Tamil Nadu government also raised the amounts of compensation for different kinds of damage wrought by the cyclone.

The compensation for the kin of those who died due to the storm and the flooding that followed was raised from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The compensation for damaged huts was increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 while the grant for the loss to standing crops was raised from Rs 13,500 to Rs 17,000 per hectare.