Five still missing after Cyclone Nilam grounds ship; Dramatic rescue operations

A Coast Guard helicopter was pressed into service to rescue 15 sailors who were trapped onboard MT Pratibha in Chennai.

Hundreds of people gathered at Chennai's Elliot's beach to watch the rescue operation on Thursday morning.

By the end of the operation, all 15 sailors who spent the night in the oil tanker were rescued.

Yesterday rescue operations were suspended twice due to continuing gusty winds. It resumed this morning when 15 sailors were pulled out of the oil tanker.

Between 6:30 and 7:30 am this morning, the two Coast Guard choppers and small vessels rescued the 15 sailors trapped.

However search operations are still on for five missing sailors.

Pratibha Cauvery, an oil tanker, ran aground because of the gales that preceded the cyclone's landfall.

There were 37 people on board. Some of them climbed into a life boat and headed towards the shore but the boat capsized in choppy waters off the Besant Nagar locality in South Chennai.

Crew members trying to escape the capsized lifeboat.

Image: PTI

Next: Cyclone Nilam strikes Tamil Nadu coast

Cyclonic storm Nilam crossed Chennai and made landfall at Mahabalipuram, south of the Tamil Nadu capital at about 4.20 pm today. Initial reports say 23 trees have been uprooted in Mahabaliburam as the Nilam made landfall. Two huts have also been reportedly damaged.

@vipinkumar_g 11m: Nilam effect @ Rajarathnam Stadium Egmore

The authorities have so far evacuated more than 3500 people around Mahabalipuram. They have been moved to relief centres.

@DhanaVanthan: @ndtv #Nilam from #marina #chennai

As the cyclone made landfall, windspeed went up to about 100 km per hour. Puducherry and south Chennai have been affected.

@Harikishore23 : @ndtv Transformer broken down due to building collapse near my home.

The authorities have so far evacuated more than 3500 people around Mahabalipuram. They have been moved to relief centres.

Bangalore city saw heavy rainfall since this morning and the MeT department has attributed the sudden dip in temperature in Bangalore and several parts of Karnataka to cyclone Nilam. This picture was sent by @dillogical_rahi

Surfer Hitesh tweeted saying they feel like the monsoons had arrived but hoped no destruction happened. @Hiteshum

Another twitpic shows how Bangalore looked this morning. Rain greeted office- goers. Pic courtesy: @ sunnybeegood

Rain clouds greeted Bangalore this morning, thanks to Nilam. Pic courtesy: @ saratc

As with any city, unseasonal rains means traffic jams, as evident in this picture from Bangalore. Pic Courtesy: @quitefar

Low-lying areas of Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts could be inundated due to the storm surge, officials have warned.

Pic Courtesy: @Ram_jk

Some parts of Bangalore even saw some water logging as is evident in this picture that was tweeted. Pic courtesy: @Moshiar_Rahman

This picture was tweeted with descriptions of constant wind and an eerie feeling in Chennai. Pic Courtesy: @Zcorpii

Ominous clouds hovering before cyclone Nilam makes a landfall as seen in this picture. Pic Courtesy:@gershomkeys

At 1 pm, the cyclone was about it is 260km away from Chennai, which could be directly hit. But its impact was already noticed in Chennai. NDTV surfer Anand sent us this picture.

Low-lying areas of Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts could be inundated, officials have warned. This picture shows how that might just be possible. Pic Courtesy: @rajasekarn

If you look closely, the dome of the Santhome Church is visible in the background of the dark clouds. Pic courtesy: @harikraju

This picture was sent to us by Ganapathy in Chennai.

At least someone is enjoying the rain. Surfer Minu sent us this picture from Neyveli in Tamil Nadu.

Many old and massive trees in Chennai became casualty to the strong winds of cyclone Nilam. This picture was taken on on Nungambakkam High Road.