Mandous weakens into deep depression after crossing coast in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Cyclonic storm Mandous, which crossed the coast at Mamallapuram near here, has weakened into a deep depression but the weather system impacted the city and its neighbourhoods, uprooting a number of trees.

Civic agencies, including the Greater Chennai Corporation here, were involved in removing the fallen trees. Power remained suspended in many parts of the city and the surroundings.

"The cyclonic storm Mandous (meaning treasure box) weakened into a deep depression over north Tamil Nadu coast. To move nearly west-northwestwards and gradually weaken into a depression by noon of 10th december," the IMD Chennai said in a tweet in the early hours of Saturday.

Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K K S S R Ramachandran, citing initial estimates, said there was no major damage as expected. Over 9,000 persons have been lodged in 205 relief centres, he added.

According to the city police, nearly 100 trees fell in different parts of the metro and 52 have been removed in coordination with its personnel. Power poles fell down in five locations and three had been cleared.

Vehicular traffic, which has been suspended on the Kamarajar Salai off Marina beach, has been resumed, police said. Subways did not suffer waterlogging.

Between 6 am on Friday and 6 am today, a total of 30 domestic and international flights were cancelled as airport operations were affected due to the cyclone. The airport runway was briefly closed in the early hours today.

Besides, nine outbound flights were cancelled while 21 incoming airplanes were diverted to other cities today.