Cyclone Michaung: Life halts as Chennai sees worst rainfall in decades

Cyclone Michaung takes its toll: 5 dead; road, air, rail traffic affected; Foxconn, Pegatron, Hyundai ops hit

Incessant rains triggered by the cyclonic storm Michaung inundated Chennai and its neighbouring districts on Monday, killing at least five persons and affecting road, air and rail traffic, official sources said.
 

The heavy rains also forced Taiwan’s Foxconn and Pegatron to halt production of Apple iPhones at their factories near Chennai, Reuters reported citing four sources close to the matter.
 

Airfares on major domestic routes from Chennai surged up to 171 per cent as flight operations at the airport were disrupted. One-way spot airfares  for Tuesday on the Chennai-Mumbai route, the busiest flight route from the Tamil Nadu capital, rose 67 per cent to Rs 6,286 compared to Rs 3,728 less than a week ago, according to Ixigo data.
 

Residents hurried to purchase and replenish supplies, with a high demand for drinking water.

The relentless downpour, reminiscent of the 2015 deluge, resulted in power outages and internet disruptions.

Cyclone Michaung, which is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast on Tuesday morning, reportedly lay near Chennai and Puducherry, bringing heavy rainfall.

According to a source with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), by Tuesday, rains will subside. The Chennai Municipal Corporation has reportedly said the city had not received such heavy rains in 47 years.

The rain-triggered floods forced the suspension of operations at Chennai airport from 9.40 am to 11 pm. Seventy flights arriving at and departing from the airport were cancelled owing to non-stop rainfall. Train services were also affected.

The airport runway, too, got submerged

Industry insiders indicated that micro small and medium enterprises (MSME) were the worst affected, with losses amounting to almost Rs 7,000 crore.

“MSMEs were the worst hit. Based on our estimates, losses to the industry will be to the tune of around Rs 7,000 crore. Industrial estates housing MSMEs were severely flooded,” said Suresh Krishnamurthy, president of the Hindustan Chamber of Commerce and chief executive officer of India Cements Capital.

A spokesperson for Hyundai Motor India said its Sriperumbudur factory operations were suspended for the day, considering the safety and well-being of the employees under the prevailing cyclonic conditions.

Ambattur, the largest small-scale industrial estate in South Asia, was among the worst affected, with more than 1,750 companies bearing the brunt.

“It is very early to assess losses. However, a lot of high-value machines are involved. Water-logging is up to the height of 3-4 feet at the northern side of Ambattur Industrial Estate and also a good area under the southern side. The entire business is affected. Authorities are helping us to tide over the crisis,” said G Aravind, president, Ambattur Industrial Estate Manufacturer’s Association.

Two of the victims died of electrocution while one person was killed after a tree fell on him in the upmarket Besant Nagar area of the city, an official release said. Two unidentified bodies – of a man and a woman -- were found in different rain-affected parts of the city, the release said.

Many parts of the state capital and the adjoining districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Tiruvallur came under sheets of water even as the government machinery was deployed to clear the stagnant water.

According to the government, the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Sipcot) is continuously monitoring and clearing the hurdles within the industrial parks using patrol teams.

“Only essential supply companies are run during this cyclone to ensure continuous supply of commodities to the general public. Clearing the fallen tree, restoration of power, water supply to the companies, pumping out of water is being done,” a source said about the industrial sector.

(With inputs from agencies)