Cyclone Burevi, which has weakened into a deep depression, is set to cross the southern districts of Tamil Nadu between late on Thursday night and in the early hours of Friday, according to a weather bulletin.
The official machinery across the coastal stretch in southern Tamil Nadu ensured that the people in low-level and vulnerable areas were shifted to relief centres.
Many districts witnessed mild rain since Wednesday night. In Madurai, surplus water from the Vandiyur tank was let into the Vaigai. Collector T. Anbalagan and Corporation Commissioner S. Visagan said a special control room was monitoring the situation round the clock.
Ramanathapuram Collector Dinesh Ponraj Oliver supervised the arrangements at a relief centre. The district administration had shifted 5,777 people to 75 relief camps in nine taluks, Mr. Oliver said.
490 relief centres ready
Revenue Minister R.B. Udaykumar, who was in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts, met the Collectors, the Superintendents of Police and monitoring officers. He told presspersons that 490 relief centres had been readied in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanniyakumari, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts to take in 1.92 lakh evacuees. Of the 7,505 irrigation tanks in the southern districts, only 985 had their maximum storage of water.
In a swift operation that lasted three hours, the Coast Guard rescued three fishermen, including a woman, of Mandapam.
On information from the Ramanathapuram Collector that the three persons were stranded on Manalli Tivu Island, the Coast Guard deployed a hovercraft at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Despite strong winds, continuous rain and low visibility, The crew located the boat and rescued the three persons. Fisheries Department officials said the three had put out to sea on December 1 and had been stranded on the island since then as their boat developed a snag.
Dindigul Sub-Collector Sivaguru Prabhakaran has appealed to the people at Kodaikanal to stay indoors and avoid travel. The ghat section was closed at 7 p.m. on Thusday until further orders. Throughout the day, the hill station received mild rain.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami arrived in Madurai on Thursday evening to a rousing reception by AIADMK workers. He will inaugurate several projects, including a new building for the Madurai Collectorate, on Friday and then proceed to Sivaganga to review the COVID-19 situation in the district. He will interact with trade and industry representatives and self-help groups before leaving for Chennai.
Inspector-General of Police (South Zone) S. Murugan said all the officers in the police control rooms in the coastal districts were in constant touch with State and Central government agencies.
