Relief operations underway in Thane affected areas

Cuddalore: Relief operations were in full swing in Cuddalore district and the union territory of Puducherry both of which were battered by cyclone Thane on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_169271” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“A map showing how cyclone Thane affected parts of TN “]  [/caption]The severe cyclonic storm that crossed the Tamil Nadu coast on Friday, has left a trail of destruction and claimed 33 lives. A further 20,000 people are in relief camps in Cuddalore district. Parts of Cuddalore district are battered, with hundreds of uprooted trees and electric posts blocking roads. Essential items like milk are scarce while officials have started supplying drinking water through 60 tankers. Tamil Nadu Rural Industries Minister M C Sampath, overseeing the relief operations, said restoration of normalcy would take a ‘couple of days’ in the district. District Collector V Amudhavalli said five senior IAS officials were supervising the relief works and assessing the damage caused by the cyclone, which has since moved out of the Bay of Bengal and weakened into a well marked low pressure over the Arabian sea. Assistant Collector Rajendran said the repairing of roads and restoration of water supply, electricity and telecommunication would take a week’s time. Meanwhile Puducherry which remained cut-off from adjoining districts in Tamil Nadu was fast returning to normalcy with road and rail traffic resuming today. Officials were making efforts to clear the interior roads in the town and suburbs scattered with uprooted trees and electric poles while electricity was being restored in phases in the city. The cyclone has come as a dampener for the new year celebrations in the former French colony as tourists were greeted with battered roads and uprooted trees lying on the middle in several areas. Fuel was in short supply causing serpentine queues outside petrol outlets, with some dealers refusing to give consumers more than Rs 100 worth fuel. Officials said it would take at least two weeks for Puducherry to get back to its original state as a tourist attraction. Minister of State in PMO V Narayanaswamy, who represents Puducherry Lok Sabha seat, said the Centre would be willing to help the affected people if the governments of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry approach it. PTI