Jal cyclone status | chennai weather today | indian meteorological department chennai

jal cyclone status | chennai weather today | indian meteorological department chennai

CHENNAI: S Kannagaraj, 50, a fishermen in Periyakuppam near Ennore, on Sunday sat on a heap of rubble that had been his house while his wife K Selvi rummaged through it for their belongings.

Hundreds of other families in several residential areas of Tiruvottiyur and Ennore on the outskirts were hit as rains from cyclone Jal’ lashed the city. North Chennai was the worst hit.

In several fishing colonies sea water entered homes. “The roaring of the waves did not allow us to sleep last night. We are now scared of another tsunami,” said S Maria of Thalankuppam, a fishing hamlet near Ennore.

Most residents in over a dozen fishing hamlets in Tiruvottiyur, Ennore and Kathivakam stayed out-doors throughout Saturday night. A huge row of rocks along the coast between Kasimedu and Ennore to restrict the waves had little impact as the towering breakers struck.

“Along most of the coastal stretch, the sea washed away many rocks kept to block the waves from entering residential areas. We were left vulnerable,” said K Karna of Tiruvottiyur.

Forced out odf their homes by the rushing sea water, many people were forced to stay in the scores of incomplete houses, being built with the Tsunami Relief Fund by the state government, in these areas. A huge amount of debris, including plastic waste, was deposited along the coast between Kasimedu and Ennore.

The impact of the cyclone was also visible on the 100 Feet Ennore Express Road, which connects many outer-lying areas with the city. It is also an important highway for cargo vehicles. The stretch beyond Tiruvottiyur was rendered unmotorable with most of the bitumen peeled away. Huge potholes filled with rainwater made the stretch risky for motorists, especially at night. Most of the stretch doesn’t have street lights.

From Saturday, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) stopped bus services to many fishing hamlets along the stretch.

Thousands of fishermen in areas along the Ennore Express Road and East Coast Road (ECR) did not venture into sea. With the help of the police, many fishermen remioved their catamarans and mechanised boats from the coast to safer areas. “Women who sell dried fish in many hamlets also lost their business. Many affected residents have been accommodated at balwadi, anganwadi and government schools,” said R Venketasan, panchayat president of Periyakuppam village near Ennore.

Source: TimesofIndia

Posted by musicking on Nov 8 2010. Filed under Breaking News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry