Storm crosses coast, rains pound TN
Chennai, Nov 27: Cyclonic storm 'Nisha' crossed the coast near Karaikal, about 300 km south of Chennai and 135 km from Puducherry on the East Coast, at around 0600 hrs today bringing in its wake heavy rainfall to the entire state and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
'Nisha' had remained practically stationary over Southwest Bay of Bengal and lay centred close to Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu at 0230 hrs this morning.
Heavy rainfall had been lashing Tamil Nadu with Adiramapattinam, a town panchayat in Thanjavur District, receiving the highest amount of 29 cm for the 24-hour period ending 0830 hrs this morning, Met officials said.
Meanwhile,
officials
released
water
from
the
Chembarambakkam
Reservoir,one
of
the
prime
drinking
water
sources
for
the
city,
as
the
levels
swelled
close
to
the
full
capacity
of
24
feet.
Following
instructions
from
Kancheepuram
Collector
Santosh
K
Misra,
the
officials
released
1,000
cusecs
from
the
reservoir
into
the
Adyar
River
as
level
touched
22
feet.
This led to flooding of Kunrathur, Tiruneermalai,Anakaputhur, Nandambakkam, Adyar and Kotturpuram Areas.
Police and Revenue Officials evacuated people living on the banks of the Adyar River to community halls and schools.
In a related incident, a portion of compound wall of a company located in Nandambakkam collapsed on the adjoining orphanage. Fire Services personnel rushed to the spot and pumped out the water.
Meanwhile, people living in the low-lying areas of Tambaram, Krishna Nagar and Mudichur were being rescued by the Fire Services Personnel using boats.
Official sources said if the rainfall persisted more water would be released from the reservoir.
Another report said 10,000 food packets, equal number of bread packets, water bottles and packets were being airlifted to Cuddalore and Chidambaram Districts for distribution to those affected by the heavy rainfall.
A
report
from
Nagapattinam
District
this
morning
said
three
women
and
a
child
were
killed
in
when
the
wall
of
a
hut
in
which
they
were
sleeping
collapsed.
Police
said
J
Rajpath
Beevi
(55),
S
Rasiya
(56),
S
Noornisha
(18)
and
Fathima
(18
months)
were
killed
when
the
wall
of
their
hut
collapsed
in
Sankaranpandal
Village
of
the
district.
UN