Cyclone Thane toll reaches 42

Relief operations were launched on a war-footing to bring back normalcy in cyclone Thane battered Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district and the adjacent Puducherry, as the toll caused by the severe storm mounted to 42 on Saturday.

Relief operations were launched on a war-footing to bring back normalcy in cyclone Thane battered Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district and the adjacent Puducherry, as the toll caused by the severe storm mounted to 42 on Saturday.

As the administrative machinery was put in top gear, chief minister Jayalalithaa said nine more people have died in rain related incidents, taking the toll to 42, following the severe cyclonic storm that crossed Tamil Nadu coast on Friday. She said five people were killed in Cuddalore, the worst affected district, three in Kancheepuram and one in Theni. She also announced a solatium of Rs 2 lakh each to those killed.

HT Image

Thane, packed with wind speeds of about 135 kmph, claimed 33 lives and left around 20,000 people homeless on Friday.