4 dead in heavy rainfall triggered by Cyclone Mandous, says Stalin

CHENNAI: Four people have died across Tamil Nadu after Cyclone Mandous made landfall off Mamallapuram causing heavy rainfall in Chennai and coastal areas of the state. Chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday said "So far, four human fatalities, deaths of 98 cattle and damage to 181 residences had been reported. Other details were being collected."

Cyclone Mandous made landfall late Friday night, crossing the coast with a wind speed of 75 km an hour. The cyclone has now weakened into a deep depression according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). "I inspected the affected areas. Corporation workers have worked very well. 4 people have lost their lives in this heavy rainfall. 98 cattle died too. 151 houses and huts got damaged, other damages are being calculated. In Chennai 400 trees uprooted," chief minister Stalin told mediapersons in Chennai.

Earlier today, Stalin also distributed flood relief material and food among Cyclone Mandous-affected people in the Kasimedu area of Chennai.

Several areas in Chennai saw waterlogging and squally winds uprooting trees in the state capital and the nearby Chengalpattu district. The rainfall triggered by the cyclone has caused severe waterlogging in low-lying areas. Roads in the MMDA Colony in Arumbakkam here were submerged. A video showed a large tree uprooted in Egmore, damaging a petrol bunk nearby. The IMD said it has crossed the Mamallapuram coast and weakened after completing its landfall process late Friday. A wall collapsed in T Nagar area of Chennai and caused severe damage to three cars that were parked near it. Nobody was present inside the vehicles at the time of the incident.

In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders, including MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy, and local officials in Tirupati on Saturday visited the Cyclone Mandous' affected areas. Some residential areas saw waterlogging and trees uprooted after heavy rains hit south coastal Andhra Pradesh.

S Balachandran, DDGM, RMC Chennai, said "Cyclone Mandous crossed the coast and is in deep depression and its strength is weakening. It is moving towards the Northwest direction so areas in northwest districts will witness strong winds of 55-65 kmph which will further decrease by evening to 30-40 kmph." The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) today requested people to avoid going out until Cyclone Mandous weaken. It is said that almost 65 trees fell in three hours and motor pumps were being used to remove water stagnation in low-lying areas.

The National Disaster Response Force personnel are on standby, officials said. The Tamil Nadu government put out a list of helpline numbers in case of any flood-related emergencies. The Greater Chennai Traffic Police Saturday in a tweet announced that vehicular movement along the East Coast Road (ECR) resumed at 6 am. The stretch had been closed since 10 pm last night, due to the cyclone.

The Dindigul Collector declared a holiday on Saturday for schools and colleges in Sirumalai and Kodaikanal.