Cyclone Vardah: Rajnath calls up Andhra, Tamil Nadu CMs, assures all help

New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday spoke to Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to take stock of the situation in the two states following the landfall of cyclone Vardah and assured them of all help.

During the telephonic conversations, the Chief Ministers - O Panneerselvam (Tamil Nadu) and N Chandrababu Nadu (Andhra Pradesh) apprised the Home Minister of the damage caused by the cyclone and steps taken for the rescue and relief operations.

Singh told the two Chief Ministers that the central government is ready to provide all possible help to the states affected by cyclone Vardah.

Read: Cyclone Vardah weakening, to become 'cyclonic storm' in 3-4 hours: IMD

Panneerselvam told Singh the state's administrative machinery is kept in readiness to face the cyclone, even as senior IAS officers have been posted in the affected districts to oversee rescue and relief operations, a state government statement said.

The Home Ministry is also closely monitoring the situation and is in constant touch with top officials of the two states.

Heavy rains accompanied by high-velocity winds pounded Chennai and coastal districts of north Tamil Nadu as severe cyclonic storm Vardah commenced its landfall through the coast, killing two persons and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people from low-lying areas.