Cyclone Vardah: All You Need To Know About It

Heavy rain accompanied by high-speed wind lashed Chennai and other northern coastal districts of Tamil Nadu on Monday morning even as very severe cyclonic storm Vardah, which is at present situated at 140km off Chennai coast, is set to make landfall in the afternoon. Vardah is moving at a speed of 13km and is likely to cross the coast between Chennai and Gummidipoondi. Wind speed is likely to increase to 100 to 120km per hour when the storm makes landfall."Due to the severe storm, there has been continuous rain in Chennai and its suburbs. Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts have also received heavy rainfall since morning," said a Regional Meterological Centre official. Chennai has recorded 7.5cm of rain since midnight till 9.30am on Monday. Trees were uprooted in several parts of the city. Temperature has dropped to 21 degree Celsius in the city. State revenue minister R B Udayakumar asked people to stay indoors+ and assured that government had taken all precautionary steps to prevent any damage. ''Generators and motors have been kept ready in places where water logging is likely and in subways. Many people living in the low-level areas have been moved to safe places," said the minister. Ennore, Pulicat and other coastal areas in Chennai have seen high tides since morning.

10 Facts About The Cyclone And Latest Developments 

1. Rail and air services affected in Chennai 

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 on Monday. 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, officials said, adding that there was no inundation of the runway despite heavy rains. An emergency management team was on standby to meet any eventuality, they said. 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.

2. Educational institutions closed in Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government has declared holiday for educational institutions in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, besides coastal  Taluks of Villupuram. "They should take necessary steps for ensuring the safety of their students especially hostel inmates and their water and food requirements," an official release, detailing the discussions the chief minister had with his senior officials including chief secretary B Ramamohana Rao, said.

3. Helpline Numbers 

Andhra: 0866-2488000, Tamil Nadu: 044-28593990, Chennai: 25619206, 25619511, 25384965

4. Work from home

Tamil Nadu government has also asked private establishments and undertakings in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, besides coastal taluks of Villupuram, to allow their staff avail holiday or work from home. 

5. Tamil Nadu government asks people to stay indoors

The Tamil Nadu government has asked people to stay indoors during the heavy rains, stock adequate food, medicines and drinking water at home and use them judiciously. NDRF, SDRF, Fire and Rescue services department personnel have already been pre-positioned and shall be immediately utilised wherever necessary for rescue and relief operations. Teams will be deployed with adequate equipment like power saws and transportation for removing fallen trees and restoring traffic, it said. Health department has been asked to take measures to organise special camps and to pre-position generators, emergency supplies, medicines and oxygen cylinders in government hospitals. 

6. 15 NDRF teams deployed in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh 

Over 15 teams of NDRF have been deployed in various coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh for relief and rescue efforts as cyclonic storm 'Vardah' is expected to make landfall this afternoon. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) chief R K Pachnanda said while eight teams are ready in various areas of Tamil Nadu, seven are in Andhra Pradesh, apart from few others in nearby locations.

"Some more teams are on alert in Arrakonam and Guntur and they can be transported immediately in case they are required. We are in constant touch with the two state governments, the Indian Meteorological Department and other relief agencies," the NDRF director general said. Each NDRF team, comprising about 45 personnel, has been equipped with rescue gadgets and boats in order to respond to any situation emerging due to the cyclone. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation through a teleconference with collectors and top officials. He directed them to be alert and undertake necessary rescue and relief efforts in view of the cyclone threat. Food and other essential commodities should be kept ready in adequate quantities, he said.

7. Schools, colleges closed in Puducherry

In view of strong cyclonic storm Vardah, the Puducherry government on Monday took precautionary steps to prevent tourists and other people from going close to the sea shore. Police personnel were deployed on the entire two-and-a-half kilometre stretch of beach road and barricades were also put on all roads close to the sea shore. All schools and colleges are closed today. Control rooms were opened with toll free numbers 1070 and 1077 for people. Puducherry experienced intermittent drizzle from early morning due to approaching very severe cyclone Vardah.

8. Name of cyclone 'Vardah' given by Pakistan

9. Fishermen asked not to venture into sea

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off south Andhra Pradesh, north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts during next 36 hours as the sea conditions would be rough to very rough and become high to phenomenal from Monday morning.

10. Centre asks TN to keep vigil in reservoir areas

The Centre has asked the Tamil Nadu government to keep a vigil in areas of Poondi, Chembarampakkam and other reservoirs in view of heavy to very heavy rainfall coupled with cyclonic storm Vardah. "With a rainfall forecast that the rainfall intensity will increase gradually becoming heavy to very heavy rainfall (7-19 cm) at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall (20 cm) over Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts of Tamil Nadu, good inflows are likely into the reservoirs of Poondi, Chembarampakkam and other lakes around the Chennai city. "As the lakes are not full, the inflows shall increase the levels in the reservoirs considerably. State government has been advised to maintain strict vigil at all the lakes in case of exceptionally heavy rainfall," Union water resources ministry said in a statement. 

Cyclone: Do's And Don'ts

1. It is obviously always better to stay indoors+ as far as possible during such a weather phenomenon. Do not go out, do not - especially - allow children, the disabled and the aged outdoors.

2. If you live near the water it is better to go away temporarily and stay with family or friends who live up-water.

3. When at home stay away from windows and doors and if you have an upper floor you'd be safest waiting it out there.

4. Use the advance warning time you have to check the house or building you plan to take shelter in. Do look for any loose concrete, bricks, tiles, lumber, precariously-perched water tanks and the like. Get them on the ground and away from the house as far as possible. Do be aware that this is serious, because whipping winds will lift even the heaviest objects and toss them around, which could severely injure people.

5. Some advice reinforcing your windows and doors, but if there isn't enough time to do that properly - and it must be done properly or the damage could be worse - do take strips of tape of paper and stick them on windows to prevent glass from splintering in the gale force winds.

6. Cyclonic high-speed winds and lashing rain mean power lines, phone lines and mobile towers are at risk of not just going down service-wise but literally toppling over. So do keep everything that can be charged, fully charged. That includes emergency lights, mobile phones, inverters and laptops.

7. Don't just keep everything charged, keep even battery backups charged. Make sure you have extra batteries for your torch. Get extra torches while you're at it. Charge your back- up batteries and power banks too.

8. A surfeit of cyclonic water doesn't mean abundant drinking water. All normal civic supplies could be hit by the destroyer winds, so do make sure you keep enough drinking water for at least two days. Services will take time to be restored if they go down.

9. Similarly, stock up on food, medicines and all essentials, as you won't and shouldn't go out and also because shops and services may be shut for longer than just today.

10. It doesn't matter if you have a top-of-the-line SUV or a trusty two-wheeler that has never broken down. Absolutely do not drive anywhere as you and your vehicle could be hit by flying debris, trees, branches and the like.

11. Keep the radio on. Don't have a radio? Get a small, cheap one. It's the only reliable means of getting information and doesn't rely on an internet connection or wi-fi to run. You will be able to keep track of all the latest news on the cyclone, news about where it is heading, whether it is getting stronger or weaker and whether it has gone off towards water and away from the land.

12. Follow all the precautions the weather department and the administration tell you to. They know what they are doing.

13. As should always be the case, do not listen to or spread misinformation. Don't believe everything people tell you if you can't verify it from a knowledgeable source

Publish Date: Dec 12 2016 1:00PM  

Thanks to : toistudent.timesofindia.indiatimes.com