India: Cyclone “Thane” Subsides After Killing 33 in Tamil Nadu State

By P.Vijian

CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu state, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Cyclone "Thane" eased off after storming across the southern state of Tamil Nadu, but the gushing storm killed 33 since Friday.

The ferocious gale moved across India's southern states, threatening coastal hamlets, fishermen and keeping coast guards on high alert, but people escaped major calamity.

"It has crossed Cuddalore and Puducherry. Gradually it will weaken and there is nothing alarming, but there will be a lot of rain in the next few days," Dr S.R Ramanan, director of the Area Cyclone Warning Centre at the Chennai Regional Meteorological Centre, told Bernama.

Local officials estimated nearly 5,000 fishermen's houses and fishing boats were wrecked by the cyclonic storm, which arrived with a wind speed of 140km per hour -- leaving many homeless just hours before the New Year celebration.

It was a grim reminder of the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami that killed nearly 8,000 people in Tamil Nadu on Dec 26, 2004.

However, Andhra Pradesh another southern state and home to a major fishing industry, escaped without much damage to the coastal communities.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Friday announced a RM85 million financial package to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure and houses in the eastern part of the state.

Though weather experts predict the year-end cyclone threat is over, people along shore-lines are yet to return to their homes and are still squatting in government relief camps. -- NNN-BERNAMA