Chennai/ Puducherry:
Cyclone Thane hit the coast of Tamil Nadu on Friday, making landfall between Puducherry and Cuddalore that has resulted in the death of 33 people so far. While 19 people have been reported dead in Cuddalore, eight have died in Puducherry.
After the landfall, the cyclone moved further westward and weakened rapidly into a deep depression and lay centered at about 100 km west of Cuddalore, the regional weather office said.
The storm crossed the coast between Cuddalore and Puducherry bringing in its wake torrential rains accompanied by gale that uprooted hundreds of trees and knocked electric poles, snapping power supply in several areas.
The tiny Union Territory of Puducherry was cut off from neighbouring districts in Tamil Nadu with the uprooted trees blocking road traffic.
The cyclone also disrupted rail and air operations with services cancelled or rescheduled. Flights to international destinations including the middle-east and Malaysia from Chennai were cancelled following the inclement weather.
Southern Railway partially cancelled and rescheduled most of the trains between Chennai and southern districts.
However, rains continued in the coastal districts of the state and southern Andhra Pradesh till Friday evening.
Puduchery District Collector S B Deepak Kumar said that rescue operations were in full swing in the Union Territory. Uprooted trees were being removed from the roads.
Cuddalore was the most affected, with damaged roads rendering it difficult for rescue teams including those from National Disaster Response Force and fire and rescue services to reach the cyclone hit fishing hamlets.
District Collector Amuthavalli said even as communication lines remained affected, over 5000 houses of fishermen had been damaged.
"We don't know what is happening in the outside world. All that we have been hearing since last night is the howling of the wind. Several trees have fallen down. Even mobile phone signals are not proper," S Ravikumar, a Puducherry resident, told IANS.
Some 250 coastal villages inhabited by fishermen had been put on high alert and there was fear all night long. Several hundreds were evacuated and taken to the 49 relief shelters. Others have had to fend for themselves.
(Watch: NDTV's Ground Zero report from Puducherry)Jaya, a fisherman from Puducherry said to NDTV, "I have not seen a cyclonic storm like this ever. At least the tsunami, we ran away and saved our life. This time we have not earned even 10 rupees in the last one week. No one has come to our help.''
Most fishermen have suffered financial losses due to the cyclone. "Catamaran, boat, nets, engine, all have been either damaged or washed away. What are we going to do? They have not even offered us shelter in a school or some other building,'' said Shankar, another fisherman in Puducherry.
A comprehensive assessment of the damage done by Cyclone Thane will take some more time. The immediate danger of loss to life has passed. But a question mark hangs over the future for thousands of fishermen along the coast who have lost or had their catamarans and boats damaged.
Chennai helpline numbers:Chennai Corporation - 1913, 25619237; Kancheepuram district administration - 1077, Police control room - 9445465536, 27238001; Tiruvallur district administration - 27661200; Police control room - 27661010.
(With Agency inputs)