Cyclone Nisha claims 180 lives, another one brewing

The Cauvery delta and the coastal districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore were the worst-hit. Incidentally, these districts had recorded less-than-normal rainfall in the last North East Monsoon.

According to the state’s preliminary estimates, 180 rain-related deaths have been reported till December 2. Apart from fatalities, the rain displaced 24.5 lakh people, out of the nearly 40 lakh who were affected, to the 3,900 relief camps.

The agriculture sector faced the brunt of the cyclone, losing crops altogether and cutting down the expected yield by half. As hundreds of breaches were reported in the rivers, lakes and channels, about 7.9 lakh hectares of crops including paddy, maize, millets, oil seeds, coconut, cotton and sugarcane was submerged in the flood waters.

“As many as 23 deaths have been recorded in the district and about 1.2 lakh hectares of crops destroyed. If the water stays for over four days, it will reduce the yield by at least 50 per cent. The real picture will emerge only by the harvest season in January,” said Thanjavur District Collector M S Shanmugam. In Cuddalore too, 24 lives have been lost.

CM M Karunanidhi has sought Rs 1,000 crore from the National Calamity Contingency Fund as an interim measure.