Cyclone Gaja kills 20 in TN, over 80000 evacuated
GOVT HELP CM announces ~10L for kin of deceased; rescue teams in place as rains continue CHENNAI:
Cyclone Gaja which crossed Tamil Nadu’s coast early Friday, has claimed 20 lives, the Tamil Nadu government said in a statement on Friday.
The severe storm slammed into the coast between Nagapattinam and Vedaranniyam bringing with it heavy rain, and causing severe damage to communication and power infrastructure, mainly in Nagapattinam.
Speaking to reporters at Salem, chief minister K Palaniswami said relief work will be taken up on a warfooting and the work was already underway. He also announced that the families of the deceased will be provided ~10 lakh each from Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund.
Over 80,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas and have been moved into more than 470 relief centres in six districts, and fishermen were warned to stay away from the sea.
A holiday has been declared for educational institutions in Nagapattinam. Rains lashed Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur during Gaja’s landfall, uprooting trees in several regions. Electricity supply was disconnected in Nagapattinam and several other coastal regions in view of the cyclone’s landfall as a precautionary measure, officialssaid.
Four teams of National Disaster Response Force have been already deployed in Nagapattinam, while two teams of the state disaster response force in Cuddalore district. An animated video to create awareness on the dos and don’ts during the cyclone has also been released. The government has also announced helpline numbers 1070 (state-level) and 1077 (districts).
IMD has predicted rainfall at most places with heavy rains at a few places and very heavy at isolated places very likely over south and north of interior Tamil Nadu.