Cyclone Gaja: Cuddalore MLA holds review meeting with rescue teams

In the backdrop of cyclone Gaja gathering strength in the Bay of Bengal and threatening to play havoc in the coastal areas of Cuddalore and Rameswaram tonight, Cuddalore Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) MC Sambath has held a review meeting with Collector V. Anbuselvan and Disaster Managment Incharge Gagandeep Singh Bedi along with rescue teams here.

Speaking to ANI, Bedi said, "It is expected that Gaja cyclone will make landfall late tonight, maybe in south of Cuddalore in Nagapattinam district. People should be well prepared. The government is making its best efforts in this regard."

The state administration has formed as many as 19 interdepartmental zonal teams for rescue and relief operations, comprising officers from key departments of police, fire, Public Works Department, electricity department, etc.

The Indian Navy has also sent its ship to the coastal region to help the rescue teams. The Southern Railways has cancelled two trains from Rameswaram to Madurai and Trichy for the day.

All government and private colleges situated in Cuddalore have also been closed down. Many polytechnics and universities have rescheduled their exams.

The road to Dhanushkodi has been closed and inhabitants of Dhanushkodi Mukundaraiyar Chathiram area are being shifted to a safer place.

The India Meteorological Department has said, "It (Gaja) is found to be laying centred at about 410 kilometres south-east of Chennai and 450 kilometres northeast of Nagapattinam. It is moving at a speed of 10 kilometres an hour in the last six hours," the IMD stated.

The wind speed is likely to be around 80 to 90 kilometres with gusting speed of 100 kilometres per hour.

The forecasting agency also stated that apart from Cuddalore, regions like Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram would receive heavy downpour exceeding 20 centimetres. The state administration also marked some regions vulnerable to the cyclone and will evacuate families living on the stretch soon.