Cyclone Vardah hits rail, air services; landfall expected by 1 pm

Strong winds and heavy rains lashed Chennai and North Tamil Nadu as Cyclone Vardah' is expected to make landfall this afternoon.

Rail and flight services in Chennai were affected by heavy rain and strong winds that lashed the city and other coastal areas of Tamil Nadu due to cyclone Vardah., officials said. Around 25 incoming flights, including those from international destinations, were diverted to the nearby Hyderabad and Bangalore airports due to strong winds and poor visibility, airport officials said. Nearly 25 outbound flights were delayed.

An emergency management team was on standby to meet any eventuality.

The Southern Railway meanwhile, announced suspension of services on the Chennai Beach and Velacherry MRTS route.

 

Similarly suburban rail services on the MMC-Gummidipoondi line were also suspended until further notice. Some passenger trains coming to Chennai and leaving the city were also diverted.

Already 4622 people have been evacuated in four districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and  Villupuram.   262 relief centres have been set up since Sunday night. Corporation official Saidai Gopal said, 10,000 workers of the corporation were on standby for immediate relief and rescue operations in the affected regions. 

The administration has readied 2000 fibre boats and 3000 normal boats for use when needed. People have been advised not to venture to the beache as the rough sea is witnessing waves as high as five feet to 20 feet in some areas. 

S Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre in Chennai said that wind speeds of upto 80 kmph to 90 kmph would be crossing the region when the cyclone makes a landfall  between Chennai and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. 

With inputs from Agencies