Cyclone Vardah: At least three killed, more than 10,000 rescued by NDRF in Tamil Nadu

Follow Cyclone Vardah LIVE here Cyclone Vardah crossed the Chennai coast and ripped through the city killing three and leaving a trail of destruction in the form of 4,000 uprooted trees, damaged roof sheets and more. More than 10,000 people were rescued and sheltered by the National Disaster Response Force in nearly 300 relief camps after cyclonic storm, the most intense to have hit the Tamil Nadu capital in two decades made a landfall. The cyclone flattened homes, snapped communication lines and threw into disarray rail, road and air traffic as it crossed the coast near the Tamil Nadu capital, pounding Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram with heavy rain and squall. [caption id=“attachment_3152852” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A locality in Chennai after Vardah made landfall. Firstpost/Jency Samuel[/caption] Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam in a statement said three persons were killed and around 4,000 trees were uprooted in the city. He announced a solatium of Rs 4,00,000 to the families of the dead. “The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board has deployed 4,000 personnel to set right power lines damaged due to high speed winds that blew at a speed of 130 kmph when the cyclone Vardah crossed coast near Chennai Port,” Panneerselvam said. While all efforts would be taken to restore power supply at the earliest, it will take couple of days for that to happen in some places in North Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts, Panneerselvam said. Advertisement hoardings and name boards of offices and shops were damaged and glass panes on windows and buildings shattered due to the strong wind. Water-logging was reported from in several roads, and sewage overflows in many areas. The National Disaster Management Authority said that a total of 10,432 people were rescued by 19 NDRF teams in different parts of Tamil Nadu as the severe cyclone hit the state. As many as 296 relief camps were set up of which 97 have become operational, the NDMA said in a statement. Altogether 11,857 food packets were also distributed by the NDRF. As many as 297 roads were blocked in Tamil Nadu after the cyclone’s landfall of which 89 were cleared so far. 30 electric Transformers were also damaged. The NDMA said the cyclone will slow down by midnight and weaken by Tuesday. However, it asked people in cyclone-hit areas to remain indoors and not to venture out besides remaining calm. Cyclone helpline numbers are — 044-25619206, 25619511, 25384965, 25383694. WhatsApp number — 9445477207, 9445477203. A government release said schools and colleges in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts would be remained closed tomorrow as well. With inputs from agencies