3.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Chengalpattu Near Chennai

Even as Chennai and nearby cities are limping back to normalcy after being hit by floods triggered by the cyclone, a mild earthquake struck Chengalpattu district on Friday morning.

A 3.2 magnitude earthquake struck Chengalpattu at 7:39 am. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 km, with coordinates 12.50 latitude and 79.85 longitude, the National Center for Seismology said.

More details awaited.

On the other hand, 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 Minister M K Stalin visited Anakaputhur locality near the city and reviewed the relief work underway. He also distributed food to the affected people.

The opposition hit out at the ruling DMK over the pace of relief work.

Meanwhile, 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.

With inputs from PTI