Tamil Nadu, andhra pradesh, and odisha were slowly returning to normality in the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung, even as people in the worst-affected areas of chennai dealt with stagnant water that had only marginally receded and prolonged power shortages on Wednesday. Throughout the day, multiple state and federal agencies threw themselves into relief and rescue operations in inundated suburbs like tambaram and Velachery, but three more people were discovered dead under the debris of a private building that collapsed in chennai on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to at least 20.

Heavy rains fell in portions of tamil Nadu on wednesday, including Virudhunagar, Dindigul, and Sivaganga, but officials claimed there was no additional damage, the cyclone had weakened, and the worst was passed. Mrityunjay Mohapatra, director general of the india Meteorological Department (IMD), said Michaung, which made landfall in coastal andhra pradesh at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, had deteriorated into a deep depression by midnight. "Today, that depression further weakened and by the afternoon became a well-marked pressure area," he told the audience.

He said that the system will diminish as it travels farther northward. However, images from chennai and neighboring districts showed the devastation caused by Michaung, with several localities still inundated, people requiring rescue via inflatable boats, rescue teams from the NDRF, SDRF, and civic agencies escorting those stranded to higher ground, and food packets still needed to be distributed. indian Air Force helicopters were also forced into duty, air-dropping relief supplies in hard-to-reach areas of the city.

Large portions of the city remained without electricity for a third day, but top state government officials indicated that this was done on purpose to avoid "unfortunate incidents" because some power cables were still submerged. Water was being drained by civic authorities in numerous sections of chennai, according to Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena, and where this procedure was completed, roads were being cleaned, and work on restoring the drinking water supply was being done.

MK stalin wrote to prime minister Narendra Modi, requesting a grant of temporary assistance of 5,060 crore and the formation of a central committee to assess the cyclone's damage. stalin described the devastation inflicted by the cyclone's exceptional rainfall in a letter that would be handed up to the prime minister by DMK member of parliament TR Baalu. "The damage is particularly severe in chennai Corporation areas." Roads, bridges, and public buildings have all experienced significant damage. "Lakhs of people's livelihoods have been jeopardized," he said.

On wednesday, during zero hour in parliament in New Delhi, Baalu demanded that the floods caused by Michaung be designated a national catastrophe.

Prime minister Narendra Modi remarked on wednesday that his sympathies were with the families who had lost loved ones. "My thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones as a result of Cyclone Michaung, particularly in tamil Nadu, andhra pradesh, and Puducherry." My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been hurt or affected by this cyclone. Authorities on the ground have been working diligently to assist those impacted and will continue to do so till the situation is entirely normalized," Modi added.
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Cyclone Michaung

SIBY JEYYA

07/12/2023 07:18 AM