Page 12 - Cyclone

Chennai needs at least 2,000 km more of modern stormwater drains: Official

Ten days after Cyclone Michuang brought more than 50 cm of rain inundating many parts of Chennai, a senior official of Greater Chennai Corporation said the city needs to add at least 2,000 km more of modern stormwater drains with a higher capacity to handle showers of this magnitude. The city currently has around 2,950 km of drains, most of which have an inadequate handling capacity of 2-5 cm per hour, S Rajendiran, GCC chief engineer for stormwater drains (SWD), told PTI. "Chennai has a road length of 5,500 km. At least 5,000 km of drains with higher capacity are required for the city to handle such heavy rains. New drains coming up in the northern, western and southern parts of the city are being built to handle rain precipitation of 7-8 cm/hour," he said. The official was referring to the 767 km of drains being constructed at a cost of Rs 3,520 crore in Kosasthalaiyar river basin (North and West Chennai) and 360 km of drains built in Kovalam river basin (South Chennai) at Rs 1,71

Tropical cyclone Jasper weakens while still lashing northeastern Australia

The first tropical cyclone to hit Australia in the current season weakened to a low pressure system but continued to lash the northeast coast Thursday with flooding rain and left almost 40,000 homes and businesses without power. Cyclone Jasper crossed the Queensland state coast late Wednesday as a category 2 storm on a five-tier scale that whipped the sparsely populated region with winds of up to 140 kph (87 mph). The cyclone crossed near the Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal, 110 kilometers (68 miles) north of the city of Cairns, though many of its 300 residents evacuated before Jasper struck. Katrina Hewitt, who operates tourist accommodation at Wujal Wujal and did not evacuate, said the community was largely unscathed except for damaged trees. It looks amazing. No flooding, no breakages of buildings, Hewitt said. It was a big waiting game. We just didn't know what was going to happen, she said. Hewitt expected Wujal Wujal would be isolated for days by fallen trees blocking .

Cyclone Jasper expected to intensify before it crosses Australian coast

Powerful winds began uprooting trees on the northeast Australian coast on Wednesday as Tropical Cyclone Jasper gathered strength while approaching the area. Jasper is forecast to intensify from a category 1 to category 2 storm on a 5-tier scale before it becomes the first cyclone of the current season to cross the Australian coast late on Wednesday, Queensland state Deputy Premier Steven Miles said. The cyclone is expected to cross the Queensland coast somewhere along a sparsely populated 200-kilometer (124-mile) stretch from the city of Cairns north to Hope Vale, an Aboriginal community of 1,000. Jasper is expected to lash the coast with winds of up to 140 kph (87 mph) as it crosses from the Coral Sea. This is a serious event and it has been some time since this part of the coast has seen a cyclone of this intensity, Miles told reporters in the state capital Brisbane. More than 90 people had left their homes for evacuation centres by Wednesday, Police Deputy Commissioner Shane ...

Tamil Nadu CM announces Rs 6,000 aid to people affected by Cyclone Michaung

Corporates too joined the bandwagon in extending aid to the state. TVS Motor Company, India's third largest two-wheeler company has donated Rs 3 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund

Indian coast sees rise in cyclones; 2.9 mn vulnerable people in Andhra only

El Nino, Indian Ocean Dipole, and Madden-Julian Oscillationamong major reasons for rising cyclones

Andhra Pradesh Oppn questions govt's handling of Cyclone Michaung, drought

The roundtable meeting, attended by leaders from various parties, presented several demands, which included recognition of cyclone, drought damage as national calamities and immediate aid allocation

Tata, Nissan among automakers assisting Cyclone Michaung-affected customers

Automobile manufacturer Tata Motors has launched a service plan to assist customers impacted by cyclone Michaung in Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh. The company has implemented a comprehensive service plan across its range of passengers and electric vehicles. Accordingly, it has extended the standard warranty and annual maintenance contract period for vehicles in the affected region. Tata Motors has also set up a 24x7 helpdesk 1800-209-9292 enabling customers to reach out to them. "The helpline serves as a central hub for emergency assistance offering timely support," a company statement said on Saturday. A dedicated road assistance team has also been established to handle cases, prioritising based on customer call dates and area accessibility. "This ensures a streamlined response to the unique needs of each affected customer," the statement said. Free towing assistance has also been set up for customers, providing a crucial lifeline during these challenging ...

MoS Chandrasekhar to take stock of relief efforts in cyclone-hit Chennai

Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar will visit Chennai and meet government officials to see how the Centre can further help people and administration in the aftermath of cyclone Michaung. "I'm travelling today to Chennai to visit flood-affected areas and meet government officials to see how our government can help people and the administration further. PM Narendra Modi's government has responded fast and decisively to support the government of Tamil Nadu with almost 1000 crores and to deploy the Navy and Air Force for relief and rescue operations," Rajeev Chandrasekhar posted on X.The Minister's agenda includes a comprehensive review of waterlogged areas, overseeing the distribution of relief materials, evaluating ongoing rescue missions and engaging with the residents who have been severely affected by the extensive waterlogging following the cyclone.Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin ...

Michaung: AIADMK sends relief materials to flood-affected areas in Chennai

Former minister and AIADMK leader Sellur Raju also sent a truck carrying relief supplies including rice, water bottles and vegetables to the flood-affected people in Chennai

Cyclone Michaung: Stalin to donate one-month salary to CM's relief fund

CM Stalin also requested the PM to send a central team to review the damages caused by the Cyclone in the state

Cyclone Michaung: Congress MP demands Rs 5,100 cr aid for Tamil Nadu

Calling the situation in Tamil Nadu, especially its capital city Chennai 'highly abnormal', Tagore, a Lok Sabha MP from Virudhunagar said

Cyclone Michaung: PM directs release of Rs 450 cr second instalment to TN

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the Union Home Ministry to release Rs 450 crore, the second instalment to Tamil Nadu for cyclone relief, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said here on Thursday. Following an aerial survey and a hi-level meeting with Chief Minister M K Stalin at the Secretariat, Singh said the first instalment of Rs 450 crore had been released earlier to the state. "PM Modi is distressed by loss of lives in TN due to rains, flood," he said. Since the problem of urban floods has become repetitive in Chennai in recent years, the Government of India has approved a central funding of Rs 500 crore for urban flood management activities, he said. All the Central agencies including NDRF are doing their best as regards mitigation work in Tamil Nadu, he added. "I have been directed by PM Modi to monitor the situation; PM has spoken to CM Stalin." Earlier, Singh undertook an aerial survey of flood hit northern Tamil Nadu and held discussions with Stalin over the extent

Struggling to keep its head above water, Ambattur counts its losses

South Asia's largest small-scale industrial hub lost Rs 2,000 crore during the Chennai flood

Safety, a cost and an opportunity

If safety standards are raised carefully, not only will the public become safer, but the GDP can also grow a little faster

Cyclone Michaung: MHA to release Centre's aid to SDRF to AP, TN in advance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to release in advance the second installment of the Centre's contribution to the SDRF of Rs 493.60 to Andhra Pradesh and Rs 450 crore to Tamil Nadu in view of floods caused by cyclone Michaung. Union Home Minister Amit Shah shared this in a post on X. The prime minister has approved the first urban flood mitigation project of Rs 561.29 crore for Integrated Urban Flood Management Activities for Chennai Basin Project under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), which also includes central assistance of Rs 500 crore, Shah said. The severe cyclonic storm Michaung left behind a trail of destruction in Andhra Pradesh, damaging 770-kilometre roads, uprooting trees and killing livestock. According to data shared by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), nearly 40 lakh people from 194 villages and two towns were affected by Michaung's impact, including the inundation of 25 villages. In Tamil Nadu's capital city Chenn

Rajnath Singh conducts aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Tamil Nadu

Several areas in Chennai continued to reel under severe waterlogging conditions on Thursday due to heavy rainfall in the region following Cyclone Michaung's landfall two days ago

Cyclone Michaung weakened into low-pressure area in Jharkhand: IMD official

Earlier on Wednesday, IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra said that the cyclonic storm Michaung has weakened and won't have any disastrous impact

Situation grim in parts of Chennai, suburbs after Michaung bring downpour

Parts of the city and its suburbs in adjoining districts remained water-logged on Thursday, days after Cyclone Michuang brought torrential downpour, paralysing life in the metropolis and its surrounding areas. Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet bore the brunt of cyclone Michuang, which crossed the coast in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, before it brought heavy rains to the said four districts on December 4. The government said relief activities have been expedited and that efforts to pump out stagnant water were on in different places in the city. Velachery and parts of west Tambaram suffered from waterlogging today as well, even as food packets were air-dropped in the Pallikkaranai area here. Manali in north Chennai was among the severely affected areas. Officials said drinking water, 12,000 litres of milk, milk powder, bedsheets and food for about 15,000 people in Manali have been dispatched. Residents complained of inflated milk prices in many localities. Chief Mini

Michaung: Rajnath Singh to conduct aerial survey to assess flood situation

Various parts of the city including a petrol pump at Pallikaranai area, Jerusalem College of Engineering remained inundated after heavy rainfall

Cyclone Michaung: IAF air-drops 2,300 kg relief aid in flood-affected areas

The IAF was working in liaison with the Tamil Nadu government while the relief materials were being provided by various agencies in the state