Cyclone Mandous weakens into deep depression, leaves four people dead and over 9,000 others in relief centres

“The cyclonic storm Mandous weakened into a deep depression over north Tamil Nadu coast. To move nearly west-northwestwards and gradually weaken into a depression by noon of 10th December,” the IMD Chennai said in a tweet in the early hours of Saturday, 10 December.

TN opens 205 relief centres

Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K K S S R Ramachandran, citing initial estimates, said there was no major damage.

“Branches of trees and power lines snapped at some places. Some fishing boats moored on the shore were also damaged. Over 9,000 people have been lodged in 205 relief centres,” he said.

The cyclonic storm “MANDOUS weakened into a Deep Depression over north Tamilnadu coast. To move nearly west-northwestwards and gradually weaken into a depression by noon of 10th december.For details visit : https://t.co/KLRdEFHiFR pic.twitter.com/Zt41j7960h

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) December 10, 2022

The minister said officials have been instructed to clear the uprooted trees, and restore power. “Normalcy will be restored by afternoon,” he added.

According to the city police, nearly 100 trees fell in different parts of the metro and 52 have been removed in coordination with its personnel. Power poles fell down in five locations and three had been cleared.

Vehicular traffic, which has been suspended on the Kamarajar Salai off Marina beach, has been resumed, police said. Subways did not suffer waterlogging.

Several trees uprooted at the Aringnar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur and in Guindy Children’s Park. All animals are safe, tweeted Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment Climate Change and Forests.

Authorities have closed the zoo and the children’s park to take up maintenance work on Saturday.

Between 6 am on Friday and 6 am on Saturday, a total of 30 domestic and international flights were cancelled as airport operations were affected due to the cyclone. The airport runway was briefly closed in the early hours today.

Besides, nine outbound flights were cancelled while 21 incoming airplanes were diverted to other cities on Saturday.

Mandous, pronounced ‘man-dous’ is an Arabic word meaning treasure box. The United Arab Emirates has named the cyclone.

Cyclone No 13

S Balachandran, Head-IMD Regional Meterological Centre, earlier told reporters that between Chennai and Puducherry, 12 cyclones have crossed the coast in the past 130 years from 1891 to 2021. “If this cyclone crosses the coast near Mamallapuram, it will be the 13th cyclone to cross the coast (between Chennai and Puducherry).

As many as 16,000 police personnel and 1,500 Home guards have been deployed here for security, relief and rescue tasks, and a 40-member team of TN State Disaster Response Force, in addition to 12 District Disaster Response Force teams, are on standby, police said.

Already, nearly 400 personnel of the NDRF and State Disaster Response Force teams have been stationed in coastal regions, including those near the Cauvery delta areas.

(With PTI inputs)