After the city was pounded by strong winds and lashing rain on Wednesday thanks to Cyclone Nilam, a 70-year-old woman died and at least 10 persons were admitted to government hospitals with minor injuries.
The victim, Dhanalakshmi, a resident of Ilango Nagar, Kottivakkam, was hit on the head when a portion of the roof collapsed on her. She died on the spot.
Seven were brought to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (GH), two were admitted to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, while one was referred to GH from a hospital in Gummidipoondi.
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Another victim, Aravind Kumar, 29, is from Bihar and works in a furniture shop on Sydenhams Road. Since there was a power cut in the shop on Wednesday, he decided to walk out to get some food. He was walking on the road on Wednesday, when a lamp post fell on his head. “I fell unconscious. Thankfully, the lamp post wasn’t working because of a power cut. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have survived,” he said. He was brought in to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital unconscious at 6.45 p.m. and regained consciousness only on Thursday morning. His forehead and left eye were swollen and doctors sutured cuts near his eye.
Padmavati, 20, was brought in at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, when a wall in her rented home in Otteri collapsed because of the winds and rain. She suffered an injury on her left leg and bruises on her abdomen.
Others were victims of uprooted trees and falling branches. Kala Baskara, a 26-year-old woman from Gummidipoondi, was injured when a coconut tree fell on her left leg. “I had just stepped out of my house, I was crossing the road when a tree fell out of nowhere,” she said.
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Some were discharged with minor injuries and a few others left after treatment. Three patients are currently under treatment at GH.