The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) redeployed its teams along the Cuddalore-Villupuram coastline after meteorological alerts gave a clear indication that Cyclone Nivar was most likely to make landfall near Marakkanam.
Senior Commandant Rekha Nambiar said at least 13 teams, comprising about 450 personnel trained in rescue operations, were stationed along the coast. One death was reported near Chidambaram, where a tree got uprooted and fell on a kutcha house.
“Compared to the previous occasions, the people are cooperating well with the officials in shifting to cyclone shelters. Reports in the last 24 hours on the path of the cyclone are clear and defined… It is likely to make landfall between Cuddalore and Villupuram, somewhere, near Marakkanam. We are now focusing on that stretch,” Ms. Nambiar told The Hindu over the phone.
Explaining the preparedness of the force, NDRF Director-General S.N. Pradhan said as per reports last received, more than 1 lakh people across Tamil Nadu and about 2,000 people in Puducherry were evacuated to safety by the authorities.
“This preventive action is a good sign. There is perfect coordination between the Central and the State authorities. The Cabinet Secretary himself, along with the Home Secretary, is monitoring... We hope that with all the preparations on the ground and the precautionary measures taken, we should be able to tide over the worst challenge posed by the cyclone,” he said.
Mr. Pradhan said in the post-cyclone scenario the force was ready with relief/rescue equipment like boats, cutters, etc., to tackle the situation. Going by latest reports the cyclone was expected to make landfall a little later than predicted.
It was now likely to make the landfall between 2 and 3 a.m. on November 26 with a wind speed of about 130-145 kmph under the very severe cyclonic category, he also said.
DGP/Director, Tamil Nadu Fire & Rescue Services M.S. Jaffar Sait said rescuers had been deployed at all flood-prone localities in the coastal districts, particularly Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts.
Public volunteers, including divers from fishing hamlets, were with the police in the contingency plan drawn up to tackle Cyclone Nivar, he said.
25 teams
The NDRF deployed 25 teams in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh.
Out of these, 15 teams have been deployed in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, including six teams at Cuddalore, three teams at Villupuram, two teams each at Chennai and Chengalpattu and one team each at Mayiladuthrai and Nagapattinam districts.
Additionally, three teams have been deployed at Puducherry and one team at Karaikal.
Teams have also been stationed at Nellore, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.
