Cyclone Michaung makes landfall, impact seen in Andhra Pradesh, TN, Puducherry, at least 12 dead

Tamil Nadu Minister Muthusamy visited Varadharajapuram village in Kanchipuram district on a tractor and distributed relief products to people affected from flood-like situation caused by Cyclone Michaung.

On Cyclone Michaung, Tamil Nadu Government Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena says, "The situation in Chennai is improving fast. The transport and the main roads, the public transport is operating. We are operating nearly 800 buses in the city. The Chennai metro rail system is functioning normally... Essential commodities like fuel outlets and the markets are open. But still, many areas are underwater... The discharge in the water flow in the rivers is receding... But still, the entire draining of the water may take a little more time, but things are looking up. And, hopefully, very soon, the situation will return back to normalcy."

A tornado formed in a rivulet near Annavaram Satyanarayana Swamy temple premises in Andhra Pradesh earlier today.

Railway suburban services restored after Cyclone Michaung. Chennai Egmore - Chengalpattu with 30 minutes frequency, Chennai Beach - Arakkonam with 45 minutes frequency, Tiruvottiyur - Sullurupeta with hourly frequency, informs Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

NDRF rescues people stranded in their homes in Chennai's Pallikaranai as Cyclone Michaung-triggered rainfall causes flood-like situation in the city.

IAF Chetak helicopters have been deployed for flood relief operations in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The relief material was dropped in the general area of Adyar and close to Chennai Harbour. Two helicopters were launched in the late evening hours with relief supplies.

These included food packets and rations for people stranded in cyclone-hit areas in Chennai that were cut off due to flooding. More sorties would be launched to distribute relief supplies in other affected areas. The entire operation is being conducted in close liaison with the Tamil Nadu state government and AFS Tambaram.

Roads in Chennai's Pallikaranai area inundated due to heavy rainfall owing to Cyclone Michuang | Watch video

The landfall process of Cyclone Michuang has been completed, the IMD informed. 

People living in the inundated Krishna Nagar area of Chennai's West Tambaram's being rescued using inflated boats. The city is reeling under the effect of Cyclone Michuang. Rescue efforts are underway by police, local administration, and volunteers.

"We have deployed 12 teams, which are ready for rescue operations," says Zahid Khan, Commandant NDRF, deployed on Bapatla coast in Andhra Pradesh.

Rough sea, strong winds, and heavy rain in Andhra Pradesh's Bapatla as Cyclone Michuang makes landfall | Video

On Cyclone Michuang, Scientist 'E' and in-charge IMD Bhubaneswar, HR Biswas says, "Currently, the windspeed is 90-100 kmph. The cyclone is expected to weaken in the next few hours."

The Severe Cyclonic Storm "Michaung" over westcentral Bay of Bengal along and off South Andhra Pradesh coast moved northwards with a speed of 10 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centered at 1330 hours IST of 5th December over Andhra Pradesh coast, close to south of Bapatla. It is now crossing the coast with windspeed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph. The landfall process will be completed during next 2 hours, the IMD informed.

Cyclone Michaung is to cross Andhra Pradesh' Bapatla during the next two hours maximum speed of 90-100 kmph as the landfall process is underway in the region. "SCS MICHAUNG  at 1230IST of 5 Dec about 20km ENE of Ongole,45Km of SW of Bapatla to cross south AP coast close to Bapatla during next 2hr as SCS with max wind speed of 90-100kmph. LANDFALL PROCESS IS CONTINUING, LIKELY TO CONTINUE FOR NEXT 3 Hrs," MeT posted on X.

As many as 550 IndiGo flights were cancelled and nearly 1000 impacted across the country since yesterday after Chennai airport shut down operations owing to heavy rains triggered due to cyclone Michaung. For the unversed, Chennai airport had closed runways for both departures and arrivals yesterday due to adverse weather conditions. But now, Air Traffic Management (ATM) is prioritising departures to clear the backlog as Chennai Airport resumed its operations from 9 AM today.

All 5 major dams in Tirupati flow at full capacity due to incessant rainfall as the cyclone made landfall in Andhra Pradesh.

Cyclone Michaung started making landfall in Andhra Pradesh. Over 9,000 people evacuated as Andhra braced for the landfall.

Houses and streets submerged and trees uprooted following heavy rainfall and strong winds in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

"Tamil Nadu received isolated 'Very Heavy to Extremely Heavy' with Exceptionally Heavy rains till 0830 hours today," Indian Meteorological Department said.

 "Cyclone Michuang lies over West Central Bay of Bengal of South Andhra Pradesh coast. It lies in 140 km south-west direction of Bapatla in the coming 4 hours, near to Bapatla only it will cross as severe cyclonic storm," said Sunanda, Director, Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD.

"The cyclone effect is so much that the common people could not get any relief. The present DMK government could not take any precautionary measures. The people of Chennai are suffering. This shows the ineffectiveness of the present day government and their failure to tackle the present situation," said AIADMK MP M Thambidurai.

Odisha’s southern districts continued to receive light to moderate rainfall on Tuesday in the wake of severe cyclone ‘Michaung’, which is likely to make landfall between Nellore and Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh in a few hours, the India Meteorological Department said. Rainfall has been recorded in Odisha’s Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Ganjam and Gajapati districts since Monday evening, officials said.

People are using boats in the West Tambaram CTO colony and Sasivaradhan Nagar area of Chennai as the city continues to face a flood-like situation.

Nearly 900 people residing in villages along the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh have been evacuated to safety. With the severe cyclonic storm Michaung anticipated to hit Bapatla district within hours, residents have been advised against going outdoors. Bapatla district superintendent of police Vakul Jindal said that people living in thatched houses in the region have been evacuated. He said 21 cyclone shelters have been set up, even as 10 trees got uprooted and 12 bridges and culverts are overflowing in the district.

The sea turns turbulent in Bapatla, and strong winds and rainfall continue in the wake of Cyclone Michuang. Michaung is likely to make landfall today on the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh between Nellore and Machilipatnam.

"Distressed by the news of the destruction and deaths caused by Cyclone Michaung in Tamil Nadu. My heartfelt condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. As the cyclone advances, I urge Congress leaders and workers of TN, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, to extend all possible support to their govt’s relief and rescue efforts," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posted on X.

The Chennai airport resumed operations after planes were grounded amid heavy rain and flooding of the runway due to Cyclone Michaung.

The Railways authorities cancelled several trains in the wake of the cyclone as a precautionary move.

Eight deaths due to heavy rains have been reported in Chennai, said the police officials. Also, more than 10 people were injured in the city. "17 tunnels are closed in Chennai. The Police disaster recovery teams are engaged in rescue operations in flood-affected areas," said the police.

North coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are expected to experience light to moderate rainfall in most places and isolated heavy rainfall on Tuesday morning, decreasing thereafter, according to the latest IMD bulletin. Residents in some parts of Chennai reported no rain since early hours on Tuesday and mentioned that power services had been restored in those areas.

Heavy rainfall has been lashing parts of Tamil Nadu for several days now causing five deaths in Chennai.

In view of possible heavy rainfall due to cyclonic storm Michaung over the Bay of Bengal, all the primary, upper primary, high school and anganwadi centre shall remain closed on December 6, 2023, said the office of the Collector and District Magistrate, Gajapati.

Cyclonic storm will also affect the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, said the Weather Department. It will be cloudy weather from December 5 to 7 and there is also a possibility of heavy rain in the region, it added.

Cyclonic storm will also affect the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, said the Weather Department. It will be cloudy weather from December 5 to 7 and there is also a possibility of heavy rain in the region, it added.

"It is distressing to witness the impact of #CyloneMichaung in Tamil Nadu, where precious lives have been lost. The cyclone is expected to make its presence felt in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Puducherry, and may cause heavy rains in Jharkhand. All the state governments must receive every possible assistance from the Union Govt in this hour of need. We must be together to avert any crisis. I request the Congress workers to provide all help to fellow citizens. Safety of the people is paramount," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X.

The weather department said the gales are also expected to gust with speeds reaching up to 110 kilometres per hour during Tuesday forenoon. The weather system is expected to persist till Thursday and thereafter become a deep depression and subside, the statement said.

Five National Disaster Response Force and an equal number of State Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed in the affected districts in Andhra Pradesh
 

"Severe Cyclonic Storm MICHAUNG over West central Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 07 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centered at 0230 hours IST of 5 Dec, 2023, about 20 km north-northeast of Nellore, 170 km north of Chennai, 150 km south of Bapatla and 210 km south-southwest of Machilipatnam. As the system is nearly moving northwards close to coast, some parts of the wall cloud region lies over land. Likely to move nearly northwards parallel and close to south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam, close to Bapatla during forenoon of 5th December as a Severe Cyclonic Storm," posted India Meteorological Department on X.

Thirty three flights from Chennai were diverted to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here on Monday, as heavy rains continued to pound Tamil Nadu capital and nearby districts of the neighbouring state under the impact of a cyclonic storm. According to officials of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) that operates KIA, both domestic as well as international flights including that of Indigo, SpiceJet, Etihad, Lufthansa and Gulf Air were diverted to the city from Chennai, where many flights have also been cancelled.

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Monday said eastern coastal districts of the state have been badly affected by cyclone Michaung leading to a disruption in normal life. The Central and state government agencies have been deployed to ensure the safety of the people and to maintain essential services, he said.

Cyclone Michaung looming over west-central and coastal south Andhra Pradesh has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, leading to heavy rainfall in several parts of the state, said an official on Monday. The severe cyclonic storm is likely to intensify gradually and move northwards almost parallel and close to south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross between Nellore and Machilipatnam, close to Bapatla during forenoon of December 5, said an Amaravati Meteorological Centre official in a press release.

The Railway Ministry has set up an emergency control cell in Chennai and a war room at the Rail Bhawan in New Delhi among various other measures to meet the challenges posed by the cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’. "The Indian Railways has geared up its entire machinery in a big way to ensure and manage smooth and safe railway operations in the areas likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’," a statement issued by the Railway Ministry said on Monday. "The Indian Railways as part of its preparedness for cyclone-related disaster management has set up an emergency control cell at the divisional/HQ level with officers from Operating, Commercial, Engineering, Electrical, Signal/Telecommunications, Security, etc. branches in each shift to monitor round the clock and take necessary action in connection with train operations," it added.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said on Monday that his government was taking all necessary measures on a war-footing to provide relief in the wake of Cyclone Michaung disrupting normal life. Relief measures in rain-affected regions are being implemented immediately, with various department personnel, including police, fire, and rescue, being deployed in large numbers as a preventive mechanism, he stated.