![Cyclone Michaung hits India's south after 13 killed in floods, rain](https://i-invdn-com.investing.com/trkd-images/LYNXMPEJB402V_L.jpg)
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Individuals transfer in a ship previous partially submerged automobiles in a residential space following heavy rains forward of Cyclone Michaung in Chennai, India, December 4, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer/File photograph
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By Jatindra and Rishika Sadam
BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) -Cyclone Michaung barrelled into the southern Indian coast on Tuesday with intense winds, its arrival preceded by torrential rains and flooding that killed no less than 13 individuals, as officers assessed the harm.
Tall waves crashed into southern coastal cities during the last two days because the cyclone approached, submerging complete villages and halting all transportation as greater than 390,000 individuals felt its impression, authorities mentioned.
Michaung made landfall close to the seaside city of Bapatla in Andhra Pradesh state with winds of as much as 70 mph that later dropped barely because the ‘extreme’ class cyclone weakened, the Indian climate workplace mentioned. Additional weakening is forecast within the subsequent six hours.
Bushes have been uprooted and no less than 25 villages inundated because the cyclone traversed northwards and authorities evacuated greater than 15,000 individuals to security forward of landfall, the Andhra Pradesh authorities mentioned.
“We’ve taken all measures and have all of the tools. We’ve additionally broadcast precautions to the general public yesterday,” Zahid Khan, a Nationwide Catastrophe Response Pressure official, advised ANI information company, including the pressure had a number of groups deployed on floor.
The 13 individuals killed embody a 4-year-old boy who died after a wall collapsed, authorities mentioned. Greater than 140 trains and 40 flights have been cancelled within the state.
As much as eight inches of rain is predicted within the state over the subsequent 24 hours, the climate workplace mentioned.
In neighbouring Tamil Nadu state capital Chennai, a serious electronics and manufacturing hub, residents waded by way of waist-deep floodwaters that additionally swept away automobiles.
The floods triggered recollections of comparable rains in Chennai eight years in the past which killed 290 individuals, as some activists questioned whether or not town’s infrastructure might deal with excessive climate occasions.
On makes an attempt to enhance stormwater drainage programs within the metropolis, Raj Bhagat P, a civil engineer and geo-analytics professional mentioned: “Their options would have helped rather a lot in reasonable and heavy rainfall, however not in very heavy and very heavy rains.”
The Chennai airport – one of many busiest within the nation – was closed on Monday after a runway was submerged and reopened at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the federal civil aviation ministry mentioned.
Taiwan’s Foxconn and Pegatron had halted Apple (NASDAQ:) iPhone manufacturing at their services close to Chennai as a result of rains on Monday, sources advised Reuters. Foxconn resumed operations on Tuesday.