Farmers pinned their hopes on Cyclone Gaja to bring rains, even as the district administration and fisherfolk heaved a sigh of relief with the cyclone heading towards Nagapattinam for landfall late on Thursday.
Though there was no trace of the severity of the cyclonic storm in the district till Thursday evening, the district administration continued to be on high alert.
Preparedness reviewed
Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation Chairman and Managing Director B. Chandra Mohan, who is the district monitoring officer, reviewed the preparedness on Thursday.
Mr. Mohan discussed the arrangements with Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao, Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena and other officials. He asked people to remain indoors, while Mr. Rao declared Friday a holiday for all government and private schools and colleges in the district.
A sense of despondency prevailed among the farming community as there was no indication of rains till Thursday evening. The skies briefly turned overcast in Pamban and Mandapam areas and turned clear in the evening.
The fishing community heaved a sigh of relief as their boats would be safe, but kept their fingers crossed as the Port authority in Pamban had hoisted cyclone warning signal eight (a ‘very danger’ warning, which means the cyclone is now a severe or very severe cyclone and is expected to move keeping the port to its left.
Winds are likely at a speed of 90 to 120 km per hour). A section of people in Danushkodi were shifted to a relief shelter, while others moved to safer places in Rameswaram.
The Danushkodi road has been closed for tourists and pilgrims.
