Two days after Cyclone Mandous made a landfall along the coasts of Tamil Nadu, it has weakened further into a low pressure area over north Tamil Nadu, adjoining south interior Karnataka and north Kerala on Sunday, said weathermen.
However, the associated cyclonic circulation persists and extends up to 5.8km above mean sea levels, they said.
“Depression weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over north interior Tamil Nadu and neighbourhood,” India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a statement on Sunday.
As of Sunday, Yercaud in Salem district of Tamil Nadu had received the highest rainfall of 10 cm. From 8.30 am on December 10 up to 5.30 in the morning on December 11, Chennai had received an average of 8.5mm. Weathermen said that moderate rain is likely to occur in parts of Chennai for the next 48 hours. Light to moderate rain is likely to occur over 24 districts in Tamil Nadu, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai said. Heavy rainfall has been forecast in 15 districts, including Trichy, Salem, and Namakkal.
Chief minister M K Stalin on Sunday said that the state government has received praise for the control measures in place for the cyclone. “I couldn’t keep the phone down since yesterday. People are constantly calling me and appreciating us for managing the cyclonic storm,” Stalin said speaking during a marriage function. “If you see social media, it’s full of praise for us.”
Five people died due to cyclone-related incidents, revenue minister KKSSR Ramachandran said on December 10. Two had died in Chennai due to electrocution while three others died in other parts of the state due to collapse of walls.
Though the cyclone had wreaked havoc, normal life has returned in the city as water in stagnated areas were drained off and pumped out, and fallen trees were removed. About 25,000 staff of the Greater Chennai Corporation removed branches and trees up to 1000. Greater Chennai police removed 253 fallen trees. More than 9000 people were moved to more than 200 relief centres across the state.
