Cyclone Nivar: India hails evacuations, forecasting for preventing major disaster

Authorities in southeast India declared a public holiday, suspended transport, cut power and evacuated hundreds of thousands ahead of the storm

Local media reported at least five deaths, compared to 110 when ‘super cyclone’ Amphan ravaged India and Bangladesh in May

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A family wades through a flooded street after Cyclone Nivar made landfall in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu. Photo: AP

Published: 7:30pm, 26 Nov 2020Updated: 7:39pm, 26 Nov 2020

Accurate forecasting and the evacuation of several hundred thousand people helped prevent major loss of life after a cyclone hit southeast India, authorities said on Thursday, as rescuers worked to restore power and clear fallen trees.

Nivar made landfall at 3.05am (21:35 GMT) near Puducherry, packing gusts of up to 130km/h (80 miles/hour), uprooting trees and bringing torrential rain of up to 30cm (12 inches) in a few hours in some parts.

Thousands of emergency personnel were deployed in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry as authorities began restoring power that had been suspended to prevent damage to the electricity grid.

Local authorities said there were no fatalities, but local media reported at least five deaths in and around Chennai from trees falling, drowning and electrocution. A spokesman for the chief minister’s office declined to comment on the reported deaths.

A satellite image shows Nivar approaching southern India. Photo: AP

“People have given us full cooperation,” said O Panneerselvam, deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu state.

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