Chennai, India (ANTARA News) – At least 10 people were killed when Cyclone Vardah hit the southern Indian technology hub of Chennai, causing houses to collapse and power outages, reports said Tuesday. authorities.
Most houses were crushed by fallen trees due to strong winds gusting to 140 kilometers per hour, which also caused power outages across much of southern India on Monday.
The Indian Meteorological Department said Vardah, which prompted the evacuation of 18,000 people, was the worst cyclonic storm to hit the Tamil Nadu state capital in more than two decades.
“So far, 10 people have been confirmed dead. We will receive reports from rural areas as the days go by, but the worst is over,” said Abhishek Shandiyal, spokesperson for the national disaster management agency.
The typhoon weakened as it entered inland areas, he added.
Television footage from Chennai, where devastating floods last year claimed at least 250 lives, showed cars overturned by strong winds and heavy rain in the city that is home to auto manufacturing and outsourcing. information technology.
The Chennai International Airport was closed for nearly 12 hours and resumed operations on Tuesday according to airport officials. Train services have also partially started.
India’s east coast and neighboring Bangladesh are regularly hit by violent storms between April and December, causing deaths and property damage.
In 1999, more than 8,000 people died when a cyclone hit the eastern Indian state of Orissa. (M)
