Cyclone Jal loses steam close to Chennai coast
CHENNAI: Even as Tamil Nadu braced itself for rough weather, shutting down educational institutions across three districts and putting government machinery on alert, cyclone Jal had weakened considerably by Sunday night and was expected to peter out into a few spells of rain.
The TN government has geared up for rescue and relief work following the Regional Meteorological Centre's weekend warning that winds with speeds ranging from 60-70 km per hour might damage thatched huts, snap tree branches and disrupt power and communication supply. The Puducherry government also readied to face the onslaught of the storm and opened round-the-clock emergency operation centres and control rooms.
By Sunday evening, rains claimed at least one life in the city when a 58-year-old bank official, D Siva Prasad, was caught under a falling tree in Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore; several instances of tree collapses and power cuts were reported around the city. The weather also affected visibility causing 16 flights to be diverted to Bangalore and Hyderabad between 7.30 am and 5 pm. Conditions, however, improved in the latter half of the day, allowing most flights to make their way back to Chennai.
Met officials said the cyclone was weakening and was expected to cross the coast between Chennai and Nellore on Sunday night. This is the first time in 14 years that a cyclone is passing close to Chennai. The last one was in 1996. "The storm is weakening so it may not cause as much damage. However, heavy rains are expected for the whole of the day in the city and nearby districts," said a Met official. (the times of india)
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