Cyclone Gaja makes landfall in Tamil Nadu, claims 11 lives

With winds gusting up to 120 kmph and over 80,000 people being evacuated, cyclone Gaja stormed across Tamil Nadu Friday morning killing 11 people and damaging homes along the coast.

The cosatal areas of the state witnessed turbulent winds uprooting electricity poles and trees in Nagapattinam, Vedaranyam and Karaikal. As the cyclone's landfall began, coastal towns including Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thondi and Pamban in Tamil Nadu and Karaikkal and Puducherry received rainfall ranging between 3 cm and 8 cm.

An India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin said, "severe cyclonic storm Gaja crossed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast between Nagapattinam and Vedaranniyam ...with wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting up to 120 kmph, early Friday."


Tamil Nadu state Disaster Management Authority, already on alert, has evaculated people from low-lying areas and has provided for as-many-as 471 relief centres.

Four teams each of National Disaster Response Force personnel have been already deployed in Nagapattinam district while two teams of the state disaster response force in Cuddalore district, officials said Thursday.

A holiday has been declared for educational institutions in Nagapattinam district.

However, Deputy Director General of Meteorology S Balachandran told , the cyclone will take another two hours to fully cross the coast.

The IMD expects the cyclone to progress westwards and weaken gradually in the next six hours.

The electricity supply was disconnected in the costal areas of Tamil Nadu in view of the cyclone's landfall.

The government has announced helpline numbers 1070 (state-level) and 1077 (districts) for those who may need assistance.