Cyclone Michaung: Five dead during heavy rains in Chennai, railways set up emergency cell | Top updates

The ministry has also activated a board-level war room to monitor all locations 24 hours a day and appointed security advisors in each shift to assist in emergency control.

A worker tries to remove an uprooted tree from a boggy road during heavy rain due to Cyclone Michaung

New Delhi: Several parts of Chennai were inundated on Monday due to heavy rains as Cyclone Michaung approached the north Tamil Nadu coast. The IMD earlier predicted heavy rainfall in Chennai and surrounding areas over the next 24 hours. The Chennai MeT department has issued a thunderstorm warning in Tamil Nadu for the next three hours.

Dozens of trains connecting Chennai have been canceled due to flooding after Cyclone Michaung unleashed heavy downpour on Tamil Nadu. At least 26 trains have been completely canceled while two have been partially cancelled.

Cyclone Michaung: Here are the most important updates

As many as five people have been killed in separate incidents in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai amid heavy rains due to Cyclone Michaung, according to an official statement from the Chennai Police.
Dozens of trains connecting Chennai have been canceled due to flooding after Cyclone Michaung unleashed heavy downpour on Tamil Nadu.
Chennai MeT Department issues thunderstorm warning in Tamil Nadu for next three hours: IMD
The Railway Ministry has also set up an emergency monitoring cell in Chennai and a war room at the Rail Bhawan in New Delhi, among several other measures, to meet the challenges posed by Cyclone Michaung.
“The Indian Railways has geared up its entire machinery in a major way to ensure and manage smooth and safe railway operations in the areas likely to be affected by Cyclone Michaung,” a Railway Ministry statement said on Monday.
“The Indian Railways, as part of its preparation for cyclone-related disaster management, has set up an emergency control cell at divisional/headquarters level with officers from operational, commercial, technical, electrical, signaling/telecommunication, safety, etc. establishments in each department. shift to monitor round the clock and take necessary action in connection with train operations,” it added.
The ministry has also activated a board-level war room to monitor all locations 24 hours a day and appointed security advisors on each shift to assist with emergency control.
The Chennai Divisional Health Unit has ratcheted up its disaster management action plan and formed two teams.
No flights in Chennai till 9am tomorrow morning
The Pazhavanthangal Metro in Chennai has been closed due to waterlogging
Section 144 in Puducherry, heavy rain warning in Tamil Nadu