Tamil Nadu govt much more prepared to deal with heavy rain than in 2015: Kanimozhi

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 5 (ANI): DMK MP Kanimozhi on Tuesday that the Tamil Nadu government is much more prepared to deal with heavy rain triggered by cyclone Michaung than in 2015, when incessant rain caused flooding in Chennai, causing heavy loss of property and human lives.
"In the last two days, we had more than 33 centimetres of rainfall which is much more than what we had in 2015, but the government was prepared. Many people have been evacuated and moved to shelters," Kanimozhi told ANI.
In the heavy rain triggered by the cyclone in the last two days, the city has come to a standstill as roads are flooded, traffic is disrupted, and losses of property and lives happened.
"Around 411 shelters have been already prepared...Water has also been pumped out of most of the areas and power has also been restored in more than 60-70 per cent of the houses," Kanimozhi said.
Eight people have lost their lives while multiple roads and subways are closed in Chennai as heavy rain pounded the city.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department said that the landfall process of the severe cyclonic storm 'Michaung' began near Bapatla on the Andhra Pradesh coast.
"The Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Michaung' over west-central Bay of Bengal along and off South Andhra Pradesh coast moved northwards with a speed of 10 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 1330 hours IST of December 5, 2023, over Andhra Pradesh coast near latitude 15.65°N and longitude 80.25°E close to the south of Bapatla, about 30 km southwest of Bapatla. It is now crossing the coast with windspeed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph. The landfall process will be completed during the next 2 hours," IMD posted on X. (ANI)