Harbingers of a cyclone reach the south of India
The harbingers of a cyclone reached southern India on Monday. Heavy rain turned roads in the city of Chennai into raging rivers, in which a crocodile was spotted alongside flooded cars. According to the Indian weather service, cyclone "Michaung" will reach the south-east coast of India with cyclone force on Tuesday morning. Heavy rain and gale-force winds of up to 110 kilometers per hour are expected.
In Chennai, the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu, the airport was closed, according to local media reports. The weather service instructed all fishermen to leave their boats in the harbor and warned of "major damage" along the coast. The storm had already uprooted trees on Monday, as could be seen in photos on online networks. According to police reports, rescue workers brought people from flooded areas to safety.
The head of the Tamil Nadu government, Supriya Sahu, warned people of crocodiles in flooded streets. However, there was "no need to panic", she wrote in online networks. There is no danger to humans "if these animals are left alone and not provoked".
The cyclone is forecast to make landfall on Tuesday morning near the town of Bapatla in the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh. Cyclones are tropical cyclones and a regular and deadly threat along the coasts of the northern Indian Ocean, where millions of people live. Scientists warn that the storms will become more severe as global warming increases due to climate change.
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In the nearby state of Andhra Pradesh, authorities preparations for the incoming cyclone "Michaung" are underway, given its projected path toward Bapatla. The heavy rain and strong winds from the approaching storm could potentially be as severe as those experienced in southern India, serving as another harbinger of its destructive capabilities. Farther west along the coast, heavy rain and storm warnings have been issued for parts of Kerala, another potential area impacted by the cyclonic conditions.
Source: www.ntv.de
