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Chennai: The deaths
due to cyclone Thane that hit the Tamil Nadu coast Friday morning
went up by nine to 46 Saturday. Though life started limping back
to normalcy in the worst affected Cuddalore district, people were
poised to usher in the New Year in darkness.
On Saturday, nine more deaths were reported in three districts of
Cuddalore (5), Kanchipuram (3) and Theni (1) in accidents caused
by heavy rains.
Expressing her deep grief and condolences to the members of the
nine bereaved families, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa
said she had ordered release of Rs.200,000 each to the families.
With this, the district-wise deaths in Tamil Nadu are: Cuddalore
(26), Villupuram (2), Tiruvallur (2), Kanchipuram (3), and Theni
and Chennai one each.
Apart from the 35 deaths in Tamil Nadu, four deaths were reported
in Kerala and seven in Puducherry mainly due to electrocution,
falling of trees and collapse of roofs or walls.
Meanwhile, life was limping back to normalcy in Cuddalore.
"Major roads are being cleared of uprooted trees and traffic has
resumed. People are returning to their homes or going to the homes
of their relatives from relief camps. Life is coming back to
normalcy," Cuddalore Deputy Superintendent of Police S. Vanitha
told IANS.
Several trees, street lamp posts and electric poles were uprooted
Friday at Cuddalore by the cyclone that packed a wind speed of 140
kmph when it crossed the coast.
"There is no power in the district, which in turn is making supply
of water at homes a problem. We are not able to draw water from
the wells. Supply of milk was there this (Saturday) morning," a
housewife in Cuddalore told IANS.
According to a district administration official, 50 percent power
supply is expected to be restored Sunday and water is supplied to
the people in tankers.
The hospitals in the district are using diesel gensets for power
supply.
J. Kannan, another Cuddalore resident, said: "For bachelors like
me, life is difficult as hotels have not opened and shopkeepers
are charging astronomical prices even for biscuit packets. A litre
of milk is sold at Rs.50 -- more than double the rates charged
normally."
"A candle costing Rs.2 is now sold at Rs.10. There is no power in
the district and the shopkeepers are making huge profits," he
said.
Officials said it would take at least two days more to restore
power supply in the district as most of the electric poles have
been uprooted by the cyclonic wind.
Banking operations in the district have also been affected in the
absence of power.
"ATMs (automatic teller machines) do not work. Further, it is the
month-end, people will be in need of money," an official of a
public sector bank told IANS.
"Glass panes were shattered and DTH (direct-to-home) antennas were
blown away by the wind. Strong winds blew away tiled and thatched
roofs of houses," he added.
Most people said the wind intensity was so terrifying that nobody
was able to step out Friday morning.
Jayalalithaa Friday ordered release of Rs.150 crore towards relief
and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure in the state.
In Puducherry too, efforts are on to clear the uprooted trees,
electric poles, lampposts.
Power supply is expected to be restored in a couple of days.
An official of Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical
Education and Research (JIPMER) told IANS that the hospital is
using generator to take care of the power needs and there is no
problem.
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