CUDDALORE: Nearly 50,000 people have been moved to 233 relief centres across the district, as storm signal X (great danger) was raised at the Cuddalore port on Wednesday ahead of Cyclone Nivar making landfall in the region. The highest storm signal is XI.
The district, which bears the brunt of such storms almost every year, has set up 42 cyclone centres and multi-purpose halls as well as 191 temporary relief shelters. Officials have also disconnected power supply in several villages as a precautionary measure.
The district recorded moderate and intermittent rainfall on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, with an average rainfall of 10.03mm being received. However, rainfall intensified into heavy and incessant rainfall from Wednesday afternoon.
Industries Minister MC Sampath, along with Cuddalore monitoring officer Gagandeep Singh Bedi and collector Chandra Sekhar Sakhamuri, inspected the relief camps in Cuddalore to ensure water, food and toilets were prepared for people shifted to camps from low-lying regions. Additionally, Chidambaram MLA Pandian too visited villages and camps in Killai region on Wednesday.
The Revenue, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Social Welfare department officials and Municipality officials worked to ensure food was provided to residents on time. For the same, community kitchens and kitchens at shelters and camps have been set up by the district administration. For camps and shelters within municipality limits, Amma Unavagam will supply food, officials said.
Meanwhile, fears of a water shortage emerged after the drinking water pipe at Anna bridge near Galidam river in Cuddalore broke on Tuesday night. The pipeline supplies water in nearly 25 wards within the Cuddalore municipality and as gallons of water were discharged on the road till Wednesday morning, locals feared a shortage. The municipality started work to fix the pipeline after several calls from locals.