Cyclone ‘Michaung’ likely to make landfall on today; rain alert in many states

Union Home Minister Amit Shah held discussions with Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry regarding challenges posed by cyclone Michaung.

As severe cyclonic storm ‘Michaung’ is likely to make landfall on Tuesday, several Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh districts received heavy rainfall on Monday.

People wade through a waterlogged road during heavy rain owing to Cyclone Michaung, in Chennai (PTI)

Rainfall has also been predicted for several districts of Odisha and Jharkhand.

On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held discussions with the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry regarding the challenges posed by cyclone Michaung. He provided assurances of comprehensive assistance from the central government to address the situation.

He said in a post in X, formerly Twitter, “A discussion was held with the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh state Shri YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on the pre-emptive measures being taken in the event of Cyclone Maichang crossing the coast. Saving people's lives is our first priority. The central government is ready to provide all necessary assistance to Andhra Pradesh. NDRF personnel are already depleted in the state. We have kept more teams ready to help if required.”

Here are the top 10 updates on cyclone ‘Michaung’:

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday, severe Cyclonic Storm 'Michaung' is expected to reach the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh, making landfall between Nellore and Machilipatnam, near Bapatla, on Tuesday morning.
• At least five people have died in rain-related incidents in Chennai on Monday. Among the incidents, two individuals succumbed to electrocution, and one person lost their life when a tree fell on them in the upscale Besant Nagar area. Additionally, two unidentified bodies, one male and one female, were discovered in different rain-affected areas of the city.
• As part of its proactive approach to cyclone-related disaster management, the Indian Railways has established an emergency control cell at both divisional and headquarters levels. This control cell involves officers from various branches, including operating, commercial, engineering, electrical, signal/telecommunications, security, etc., working in shifts to ensure continuous monitoring. The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has taken precautionary measures, cancelling a total of 60 trains within its jurisdiction. Additionally, ECoR has activated a Crisis Management Cell.
• Certain regions of Jharkhand are expected to experience light to moderate rainfall until December 7, according to a meteorological official on Monday. The Ranchi Meteorological Centre has forecast light rain in specific areas on Tuesday, followed by light to moderate showers on both December 6 and 7.
• Rescue teams have been deployed in the southern districts of Odisha by the state government. While there is no anticipation of a significant impact on Odisha, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the Director General of IMD said that the state is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall on Monday night. The intensity of rainfall is expected to escalate, leading to heavy rain on Tuesday.
• Authorities halted operations on Monday at Chennai airport after the runway was submerged due to torrential rain. Chennai airport closed the airfield for arrival operations from 9:17 am till 11.30 am. Following a review, the airport announced on X, formerly Twitter, that the airfield had been shut for arrival and departure operations till 11pm “due to severe weather conditions”. In light of non-stop rains, a total of 70 flights to and from the Chennai airport were cancelled.
• The Tamil Nadu government, in an official statement on Monday, declared the closure of all educational institutions in Chennai on Tuesday due to anticipated heavy rainfall. The Tamil Nadu government also called upon private companies and establishments in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts to enable work-from-home arrangements for their employees on Tuesday.
• An alert has been issued for Andhra Pradesh's districts including Nellore, Tirupati, Bapatla, Prakasam, Konaseema, Krishna, West Godavari and Kakinada. The India Meteorological Department on Monday said, “Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam is likely to get exceptionally heavy rainfall over 4th and 5th December! Stay safe and take all necessary precautions.”
• On Monday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted a review meeting on the cyclone with senior officials, initiating various relief efforts. In response to the crisis, Chief Minister Reddy has pledged financial aid, allocating ₹2 crore for Tirupati district and ₹1 crore for each of the following districts: Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, Krishna, West Godavari, Konaseema, and Kakinada. The Chief Minister assured additional funds as needed for relief efforts.
• Evacuation procedures are actively taking place in 181 relief camps spread across the eight districts, with both the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deploying five teams each to assist in the affected areas.