A cyclonic storm killed at least four people in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Saturday, the state’s top official said, as heavy rain and strong winds lashed several districts, damaging property and causing power outages. Cyclone Mandous, which made landfall late on Friday evening, damaged 185 houses and shacks, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin told reporters. The storm uprooted 400 trees in the state capital Chennai, a hub for carmakers and technology firms.
Nearly 25,000 people, including disaster relief personnel, were involved in the rescue work and more than 9,000 people were moved to safety in 201 relief camps, Stalin said. “We are still assessing the damage,” he told reporters as he visited some of the affected areas.
Mandous weakened from an earlier severe category as it swept past Sri Lanka, where schools were closed on Friday due to the storm’s high levels of air pollution. It was expected to gradually weaken into a low pressure area, the India Meteorological Department said on Saturday.
