A day after catastrophic Cyclone Vardah stormed its way through parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, claiming 20 lives in the two states combined, residents limp their way back to normalcy. Worst-hit city Chennai was a picture of utter destruction as thousands of uprooted trees lay on the roads, billboards appeared broken and, snapped telephone and power cables dangled free.
The severe cyclone which ripped through the southeast coast of India is expected to weaken into a depression, but wind speed may hover around the 70 km/hour mark, S Stella, director of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai, said. Officials said Vardah- meaning Red Rose- moved at a wind speed of up to 140 kmph and was the most intense storm to have hit Chennai in two decades.
While Chennai airport was re-opened for traffic on Tuesday, Tamil Nadu government ordered all educational institutions to remain shut for the second day in Chennai, Kanchipuram, and Tiruvallur districts. Most of the deaths caused by the natural disaster were due to wall collapses that were triggered by wind and torrential rain. Hours after the winds died down, Chennai remained stuck in a virtual blackout. It left behind an apocalyptic scene- city corporation counting 2,810 trees falling crushing cars, blocking roads, and choking traffic in the bid.
The airport remained shut, and Southern Railway called off 39 trains and rescheduled several more. Trains of the metro rail, mass rapid transit system and suburban services were affected. In several areas, power lines were shut down to prevent accidents. The state electricity board officials were able to assess the damage after the cyclone passed, and it will take a day to restore power to all areas. By late evening, the corporation along with National Disaster Response Force, and the city police had cleared 650 uprooted trees and fallen signboards and street lamps.
Over 18,000 corporation contract workers were out in the city braving the winds, trying to clear roads. 159 tree-cutting machines and 650 motor pumps were put to use to drain out water from the streets. Though over 200 areas were water-logged, officials said water levels were over a foot in just a handful of them. To offer relief to residents, four centralised kitchens distributed 10,000 food packets. "We stored provisions, vegetables, and were cooking throughout," said revenue official S Anbuselvan. C Sylendra Babu, additional DGP of the coastal security group said as soon as the cyclone warning was given, three patrol boats and 180 rescue swimmers were kept on standby. Officials said that more than 17,000 people were shifted to safer places in Tamil Nadu and Andhra as a precautionary step.
