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Cyclone Michaung Claims 17 Lives In Chennai, Transport Severely Affected

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Chennai, Tamil Nadu: The flooding in Chennai following heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Michaung have claimed 17 lives so far, officials said on Tuesday. The Greater Chennai police, through a release issued on December 5, Tuesday, stated that 17 people have been reported dead in various incidents due to floods in the city. According to the police, as many as 10 incidents of drowning and electrocution have been reported for which medical assistance was rendered.

As Cyclone Michaung made landfall on Tuesday, an incessant downpour lashed Chennai even as its fury from Monday ebbed significantly. The rains and the subsequent flooding from the storm literally brought the state capital to a standstill, disrupting normal life and also resulting in fatalities and damage to property.

Transport Majorly hit

The city police shared an update on the prevailing situation, informing that about 16 subways have been closed due to waterlogging. Further, according to officials, trees that lay uprooted on roads were removed at 69 places in the GCP police station area. Flood warning announcements through the public address system were also being made by GCP in coordination with Greater Chennai Corporation for those living in the low-lying areas along the Adyar River bank, an official release stated.
Tamil Nadu Govt on Preparedness

Earlier, on Tuesday, DMK MP Kanimozhi said the Tamil Nadu government is much more prepared to deal with the situation than in 2015, when incessant rains caused flooding in Chennai, causing loss of lives and property damage.

“In the last two days, we had more than 33 cm of rainfall, which is much more than what we had in 2015. However, the government was better equipped to deal with the situation this time. Many people have been evacuated (from low-lying areas) and moved to (relief) shelters,” Kanimozhi said.

Rescue operations underway

“As many as 411 relief shelters have already been arranged. Water has also been pumped out of most of the areas and power has been restored to more than 60-70 per cent of the houses,” the DMK MP added. Meanwhile, with #ChennaiRain trending on various social media platforms, people, especially netizens, joined hands to help fellow civilians in flood-affected areas.

The state officials were also trying their best to respond to distress messages on social media and extend timely and necessary assistance, sources said.

Work underway to flush rainwater out of the city
In an attempt to flush rainwater out of the city, another corporation of Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore, dispatched twelve 41-HP motors to Chennai for flood relief operations.

The corporation procured the motors from city-based manufacturers. These motors can flush out 4 lakh litres of water per hour. Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner Siva Guru Prabakarn has also left for Chennai to oversee and join the flood relief operation. The officials said the corporation was also taking steps to send more such motors to Chennai for flood relief operations.

IMD: Cyclone likely to weaken

Meanwhile, holding out hope of some respite, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that the cyclone is likely to weaken as it lay centred over south-coastal Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday evening. “Severe Cyclonic Storm MICHAUNG weakened into a Cyclonic Storm at 1530hrs IST, lay centered at 1730hrs IST of December 5, over south-coastal Andhra Pradesh, about 25km west-northwest of Bapatla and 60 km north-northeast of Ongole. Likely to move nearly northwards & weaken further,” the IMD said in a post on X.

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Mumbai’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sudhakar Pathare, who was posted in the Port Zone, passed away in a road accident on Saturday.

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Pathare had visited Hyderabad for training. He was on his way to visit a temple with a relative when the accident occurred. Both Pathare and his relative lost their lives in the crash.

Mumbai Police have been informed about the incident.

More details are awaited.

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India stands in solidarity with people of Myanmar: PM Modi

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New Delhi, March 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the catastrophic earthquake in Myanmar, which has resulted in the loss of over 1,000 lives.

In a post on X, PM Modi posted, “Spoke with Senior General H.E. Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar. Conveyed our deep condolences at the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake.”

Under its Act East policy, India has launched ‘Operation Brahma’ to provide urgent relief to Myanmar. On Saturday, more than 15 tonnes of essential aid were dispatched following a series of powerful tremors that wreaked havoc on Friday.

Highlighting India’s unwavering commitment to assisting its neighbours in times of crisis, PM Modi further added, “As a close friend and neighbour, India stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in this difficult hour. Disaster relief material, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue teams are being expeditiously dispatched to the affected areas as part of Operation Brahma.”

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced the initiation of Operation Brahma, confirming that the first tranche of humanitarian aid had reached Yangon Airport on Saturday morning.

“Operation Brahma gets underway. First tranche of humanitarian aid from India has reached the Yangon Airport in Myanmar,” the EAM posted on X.

The Ministry of External Affairs emphasised India’s role as a first responder, stating that the relief consignment included tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and crucial medicines.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) transported the relief material aboard a C-130J aircraft from Air Force Station Hindon. The package comprises ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, solar lamps, generator sets, and vital medical supplies such as paracetamol, antibiotics, syringes, gloves, and bandages.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Bangkok is closely monitoring developments in neighbouring Thailand, where tremors were also recorded. Officials confirmed that there have been no reports of any Indian citizens being affected.

The Embassy advised Indian nationals in Thailand to contact emergency services if needed, assuring that all Embassy staff in Bangkok and the Consulate in Chiang Mai are safe.

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1,002 killed, 2,376 injured in devastating earthquake in Myanmar (Ld)

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Mandalay, March 29: At least 1,002 were killed, 2,376 were injured, and 30 remained missing in the earthquake that rattled Myanmar, according to the Information Team of Myanmar’s State Administration Council on Saturday.

Rescue efforts have intensified in Myanmar despite severe disruptions to transportation and communication networks following a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday afternoon.

The quake, which originated near Sagaing, triggered 12 aftershocks ranging from 2.8 to 7.5 in magnitude, further worsening conditions in the affected areas.

The devastation has been widespread, with Mandalay, Bago, Magway, northeastern Shan State, Sagaing, and Nay Pyi Taw among the hardest-hit regions, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Myanmar government has declared a national emergency as emergency responders work tirelessly to assist those in need.

A critical transport link, the Yangon-Mandalay highway, suffered severe damage near Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay, making relief operations challenging.

People have resorted to using the older Yangon-Mandalay road to arrive at the quake-hit areas and facilitate rescue efforts. Additionally, the collapse of buildings in Mandalay Airport and sections of the highway has further disrupted travel between Yangon and Mandalay, Myanmar’s two largest cities.

Rescue teams, including fire service personnel from lower Myanmar, have arrived at the severely affected areas like Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay. However, damaged infrastructure, power outages, and disruptions to phone and internet services have complicated relief efforts.

International assistance has begun arriving. A Chinese rescue team landed in Yangon on Saturday morning to support Myanmar’s emergency response and provide aid to affected communities.

As authorities and rescue teams work around the clock to assist those impacted by the disaster, Myanmar faces the daunting task of recovering from one of its most powerful earthquakes in recent history.

With critical infrastructure damaged and essential services disrupted, coordinated relief efforts are urgently needed to help survivors rebuild their lives.

Myanmar leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has called for humanitarian assistance from both local and international communities. On Saturday morning, Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Mandalay to facilitate the rescue operations.

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