Cyclone Michaung weakens; no disastrous impact foreseen: IMD
Dec 06, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 6 : India Meteorological Department Director General Dr Mrityunjay Mohapatra said on Wednesday that the cyclonic storm Michaung has weakened and won't have any disastrous impact.
Speaking to ANI, DG IMD Mrityunjay Mobapatra said, 'Yesterday, after its (Cyclonic Storm Michaung) landfall after 2 pm in the afternoon, it started getting weak slowly and yesterday at midnight, it went further into a deep depression. Today morning depression further weakened and today in the afternoon it further into a well-marked low-pressure area. Currently, it is centred over Northeast Telangana and adjoining south Chhattisgarh-south Interior Odisha-Coastal Andhra Pradesh'.
In the next 12 hours, it will move north-northeastward and further weaken. Its impact has also decreased. Currently, in the next 12-18 hours, rainfall will continue and at some places, isolated heavy rainfall may occur from 7cm to 11cm. The areas will be Chhattisgarh, Odisha and North Andhra Pradesh. Apart from this, it won't have any disastrous impact, Mohapatra said.
South Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu are completely clear now and no heavy rainfall may occur because of the cyclone. The sea is also clear now. If any fisherman would like to go to the sea, then they may go after noon, Mohapatra added.
When asked about the intensity of cyclone Michaung compared to other cyclonic storms, Mohapatra said, 'This year, two cyclones crossed the Indian coast. One was Cyclone Biparjoy and this was Michaung. The intensity of the cyclone was slightly less than the Biparjoy cyclone'.
Meanwhile, half-yearly exams for school students have been postponed in severely affected districts of Tamil Nadu due to Cyclone Michaung, as per the Tamil Nadu School Education Department on Wednesday.
Districts where exams were postponed include Chennai, Chengalpattu, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram. However, in the rest of the districts, half-yearly exams would begin on Thursday as per the schedule, according to the statement.
In those four districts, authority is being given to each school headmaster to conduct exams based on the recovery and to provide separate question papers.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin took stock of effected areas due to Cyclone Michaung on Wednesday and distributed basic necessities like food and milk to rainfall-affected people in Chennai.
"The floodwaters in Chennai's suburbs are still inundated. Many people are working in the field to ensure that everyone gets basic necessities like food and milk. We are continuing our field work with the hope that the situation will improve soon," MK Stalin posted on X.
After the destruction caused by Cyclone Michaung in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an immediate interim relief fund of Rs 5060 crore.
CM Stalin also requested the PM send a central team to review the damages caused by the cyclone in the state.
Tamil Nadu CM also inspected the cyclone-affected areas on Wednesday morning. In the late hours of Tuesday, CM Stalin posted on X and said that the entire government machinery has been working hard to remove the effects of Cyclone Michaung.
