Cyclone Michaung news: The southern state of Tamil Nadu has been pounded by heavy rainfall, as several parts of the state's capital city Chennai were water logged and holidays were declared in four districts. Visuals emerged of water logged roads, subways, parked cars and scooters floating, ambulances making way through flooded roads in Chennai.
Amid all occurrences ahead of Cyclone Michaung's landfall, expected to happen on Tuesday morning, a video emerged of a ‘mugger’ crocodile crawling on a road in Perungalathur off the highway connecting Chennai with Tiruchirapalli.
Notably, the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology is a reptile zoo and herpetology research station, located 40 kilometres south of the city of Chennai.
Watch the video here
Life was thrown out of gear in Chennai and its neighbouring districts on Monday as relentless rains pounded various parts leading to inundation, raising fears of a repeat of 2015 deluge.
People were seen scampering to buy and refill supplies and essential items with drinking water being on high demand. There was no let up in the downpour that led to power outages and internet disruption. Cyclonic storm Michaung, which is likely to cross the coast in Andhra Pradesh on the forenoon of Tuesday lay near Chennai and Puducherry, bringing heavy rains.
The name 'Michaung' was suggested by Myanmar. It means strength or resilience.
Transport services took a severe hit as number of trains and flights were cancelled. Heavily inundated roads posed a challenge to road users who were few and far. Many parts of the state capital and the adjoining districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur came under sheets of water even as the government machinery was deployed to clear the stagnant water and inundation.
In its latest update, the weather office said the 4 districts are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall and strong winds till late on Monday.
"Severe Cyclonic Storm "MICHAUNG centered over the west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining North Tamil Nadu coasts moved northwestwards during past 6 hrs and lay centered at 1130 hrs IST of December 4 over the same region about 90 km northeast of Chennai.
"It is likely to move nearly northwards and close to south Andhra Pradesh coast and and cross between Nellore and Machilipatnam (AP) during forenoon of December 5 as a Severe Cyclonic Storm at a speed of 90 to 100 KMPH," an update from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
In view of the cyclone, the Tamil Nadu government has declared a public holiday on Tuesday for all educational institutions, government and private offices, financial institutions and banks in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts.
The government has urged private firms to allow its employees to work from home in affected regions on December 5. However, all essential services, such as police, fire service, local bodies, milk supply, water supply, hospitals/medical shops, power supply, transport, fuel outlets, hotels/restaurants, and offices engaged in disaster response, relief and rescue activities shall function as usual.
