Cyclone Mandous that crossed the north Tamil Nadu coast near Mamallapuram during early hours of Saturday with fierce winds and heavy downpour, claimed five lives, uprooted about 500 trees and caused power disruptions till Saturday afternoon in many areas in the city. Of the five persons who died, four were electrocuted in different locations.
Heavy rains pounded several areas in north Tamil Nadu and particularly in and around Chennai that came under the cyclone’s track. Vembakkam in Tiruvannamalai received a whopping 25 cm of rainfall during the past 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Saturday following by Panapakkam in Ranipet district with 20 cm and Kancheepuram (19 cm). The cyclone had dumped heavy rains in and around Chennai and Avadi recorded the highest amount for the day with 17 cm.
Cyclone Mandous had emerged as a strong cyclone as it maintained a wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85kmph as it entered the land. It moved at a speed of 12-14 kmph and made landfall between 11.30 p.m. on Friday and 1.30 a.m. on Saturday.
The system weakened into a well-marked low pressure area over north interior Tamil Nadu on Saturday evening. It is very likely to move nearly west-southwestwards and weaken further. Rain bands had shifted to north interior parts of Tamil Nadu as the system moved further inland.
While rain intensity largely reduced over north coastal areas on Saturday, places like Vellore (3.4 cm); Tirupattur (1.2 cm); Dharmapuri (1.1cm); Kalavai in Ranipet district (2 cm) between 8.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m.
On Sunday, light to moderate rains may continue over many places with isolated heavy rains over 12 districts.
