Cyclone 'Mandous' Updates: Moderate Rains Likely in Bengaluru, Other K'taka Districts; TN CM Stalin Distributes Flood Relief Material

Heavy rains lashed several parts of south coastal and Rayalaseema districts of Andhra Pradesh early on Saturday after cyclonic storm ‘Mandous’ made landfall off Mamallapuram in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. According to an official release from the state government, 20.5 mm of rainfall was recorded in Annamaiya district, 22 mm in Chittoor, 10.1 mm in Prakasam, 23.4 mm in SPSR Nellore district, 2.4 mm in Tirupati district and 13.2 mm in YSR Kadapa district from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm today.

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader and former Tamil Nadu minister D Jayakumar on Saturday reviewed an area that was affected by Mandous cyclone near Chennai Kasimedu harbour. D Jayakumar hit out at the DMK government led by MK Stalin for allegedly being corrupt while constructing the bridge for the physically challenged in Marina.

On Friday, Devotees visiting Tirupati Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala faced several problems ranging from hampered darshan to difficulty in reaching hotels as heavy rain battered the city under the influence of Cyclone Mandous. As per reports, the low-lying areas of Tirumala, including the temple premises, witnessed waterlogging making it difficult for the devotees, including elderly and disabled persons, to commute from their accommodated hotels.

Roads got submerged and traffic was disrupted, as rivers overflowed in several areas of the KVB Puram Mandal on Saturday due to heavy rainfall in the region following Cyclone Mandous. The areas that faced such overflow of rivers included Kovanur, Thimmasamudram, and Rajula Kandiga.

With Cyclone Mandous intensifying, four flights from Chennai stand canceled. Tamil Nadu state transport buses will also not ply two hours before the Cyclone touches the land and two hours after it. This is following a directive from Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to the state transport department.

According to the Met department, rainfall occurred at a few places over South Interior Karnataka and at isolated places over Coastal and North Interior Karnataka. Forecasting light to moderate rain is very likely to occur at most places over South Interior Karnataka and at a few places over Coastal and North Interior Karnataka during the next 24 hours

Bengaluru is likely to witness light to moderate rains and cloudy skies until Sunday, due to the effect of cyclone Mandous, which crossed the coast in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.  The city has been witnessing light to moderate rains since this morning. “Generally cloudy sky. Light to moderate rain is very likely. Surface winds are likely to be strong at times. Mist is very likely during early morning hours in some areas. Maximum and minimum temperatures very likely to be around 24 and 19 Degrees Celsius respectively,” India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast for the next 48 hours, issued earlier on Saturday said.

CM Stalin, who reviewed the situation at Kasimedu area, said the government anticipated the situation and put in all preventive measures and could therefore prevent major damage. “With advanced planning, this government proved any disaster can be managed,” he said. In Tamil Nadu, many trees had fallen on electric poles but the clearing work was on in full swing, the authorities. Around 25,000 civic workers were involved in various activities.

Cyclonic storm Mandous may have weakened into a deep depression but the impact it left while making landfall was havoc. So far, four people have lost their lives while several cars were damaged due to wall collapse in Tamil Nadu | READ MORE

Traffic movement on the Venkatagiri-Gudur state highway number 58 in Andhra Pradesh was interrupted on Saturday due to water logging as a result of the Mandous cyclone, said sources. The traffic disruptions took place near Balayapalli village where water from several nearby ponds filled the highway. A long queue of vehicles were seen crawling along the highway.

According to a status report of the AP government, Naidupeta in Tirupati district received the highest rainfall at 281.5 mm during the past 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Saturday. A senior official of the State Disaster Management Authority told PTI that the intensity of the rains has come down as of now at 8.30 am.

Around 400 trees fell in the city under the impact of 70 kmph wind speed when the weather system crossed the coast in the intervening night of December 9 and 10, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said. (PTI)

According to a report by Mint, review paper by Indian scientists looks into the reasons why this is happening and the role that climate change is playing. The paper, A Review Of Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions During Tropical Cyclones In The North Indian Ocean, published in the journal Earth Science Reviews provides a insight into how cyclones are becoming more frequent and more intense. The paper is written by scientists Vineet Kumar Singh and Roxy Mathew Koll, both from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology-Pune (IITM), and builds on a major study the two co-wrote with other Indian scientists last year. READ MORE

I inspected the affected areas. Corporation workers have worked very well. 4 people have lost their lives in this heavy rainfall. 98 cattle died too. 151 houses and huts got damaged, other damages are being calculated. In Chennai 400 trees uprooted: Tamil Nadu CM (ANI)