(CNN) Tropical cyclone Vardah, the first hurricane-strength storm to hit the Bay of Bengal this season, has struck the coastal Indian city of Chennai.

The storm uprooted trees, overturned cars and did extensive damage to buildings as it tore across the city. At least 10 people have died, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

The winds at landfall on Monday were around 140 kilometers per hour (87 miles per hour), making Vardah equal to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

It has now moved inland, bringing gusty winds and torrential rainfall to the interior portions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states.

Prior to the storm's landing, Chennai already was pounded with heavy rain and winds.

Read More</s>Cyclone Vardah batters south India coast killing four, bringing down powerlines

Updated

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Cyclone Vardah hits south India (ABC News)

A cyclone has barrelled into the south-east coast of India, killing at least four people, bringing down trees and power lines, and forcing authorities to move tens of thousands of people from low-lying areas.

Key points: Indian Meteorological Department describes cyclone as "very severe storm"

Flights are cancelled, railway services suspended, schools closed

Over 23,000 people in Tamil Nadu are moved to relief centres

Cyclone Vardah moved west over the Bay of Bengal before hitting Chennai, capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu, as well as neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the Indian Meteorological Department said, describing it as a "very severe storm".

Strong winds of up to 140 kilometres per hour battered the densely-populated coast, uprooting trees and bringing down electricity pylons.

Flights at Chennai airport were cancelled, railway services in the area were suspended and schools and colleges closed.

Chennai is home to Indian operations of major auto firms such as Ford Motor, Daimler, Hyundai and Nissan.

Vardah is forecast to pass over Chennai over the next few hours, drenching the city in heavy rain before easing in intensity, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.

"Winds to pick up after current lull period. Everyone to not venture out," the NDMA said on Twitter, adding that dozens of homes were damaged.

"Expect very heavy rainfall after few hours. To become better once system crosses completely."

A "storm surge" will be about one metre high.

More than 23,000 people in Tamil Nadu have been moved to relief centres, with plans for tens of thousands more to be evacuated if needed senior state official K. Satyagopal said.

More than 10,000 people from two districts in Andhra Pradesh state had also been moved, its disaster management commissioner M.V. Seshagiri Babu said.

The NDMA warned fishermen not to venture out to sea for the next 36 hours, and urged residents to stay in safe places.

Navy ships and aircraft, as well as 30 diving teams, were on standby to help move people and deliver aid if needed, a navy spokesman said.

India's cyclone season usually runs from April to December, with storms often causing dozens of deaths, evacuations of tens of thousands of people and widespread damage to crops and property.

Wind speeds topped 300 kilometres per hour in an Indian "super-cyclone" that killed 10,000 people in 1999, while a cyclone packing speeds of more than 200 kilometres per hour lashed the east coast in 2013.

Reuters

Topics: disasters-and-accidents, cyclones, india

First posted</s>NEW DELHI (AP) — Authorities in southern India have evacuated thousands of people from low-lying areas after weather experts issued a cyclone warning.

Schools and offices were closed and state authorities were on alert Monday in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh states as Cyclone Vardah neared India’s southeastern coast.

Police and disaster management teams evacuated more than 15,000 people from low-lying areas, moving them to safer places as heavy rains and strong winds lashed the region.

The meteorological office said the cyclone was expected to make landfall near the city of Chennai later Monday.

Fishermen in the two coastal states were warned not to head out, with the seas expected to be rough for the next two days.

Officials said Indian navy ships and air force planes were ready to handle any emergencies.</s>The winds at landfall on Monday were around 140 kilometers per hour (87 miles per hour), making Vardah equal to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

The storm uprooted trees, overturned cars and did extensive damage to buildings as it tore across the city. At least two people have died, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

It has now moved inland, bringing gusty winds and torrential rainfall to the interior portions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states.

Prior to the storm's landing, Chennai already was pounded with heavy rain and winds.

The Indian Meteorological Department has issued heavy rain warnings for the whole of southern India. Fisherman have been told not to take their boats out for two more days. Chennai, a city on the Bay of Bengal in eastern India, is the country's second largest financial hub after Mumbai. Vardah could also take a heavy toll on the country's agricultural sector, destroying banana plantations, papaya groves and rice paddies. According to local media reports , Vardah has prompted schools and colleges to close in Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur districts and in the coastal areas of Viluppuram district, in the state of Tamil Nadu. India's labor department has also issued an advisory instructing companies to allow employees to work from home. More than 170 relief camps have been set up in Chennai and several National Disaster and Reponse Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed to Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, according Krishna Kumar, a spokesman from the NDRF. #Vardah EB lamp post in front if our house ready to fall anytime , uprooted tree blocking road #Virugambakkam #Chennai pic.twitter.com/cSvwuR5gLi — S.Ranganathan (@rangats) December 12, 2016 Tropical cyclone Vardah is India's strongest storm since October 2014, when cyclone Hudhud moved into Andhra Pradesh, claiming over 100 lives and causing $3.4 billion in damage. Vardah could also hit fishing villages located along the coast of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.</s>260 trees and 37 electric poles had fallen and 190 trees removed. As many 224 roads were blocked and 24 huts damaged.

Chennai: Two persons were killed as heavy rains accompanied by high velocity winds on Monday pounded the city and coastal districts of north Tamil Nadu due to severe cyclonic storm "Vardah" which began making landfall near Chennai, uprooting hundreds of trees, disrupting land and air transport and throwing normal life out of gear.

The wind speed had considerably reduced when the cyclone made landfall. The Navy said that while the leading edge of the storm was inland, the trailing edge would soon hit.

RK Pachnanda, DG of NDRF said that the location of the landfall was Pulicat in Tamil Nadu.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that the entire landfall process will be completed during the next 1-2 hours but conditions would remain rough even thereafter.

"The landfall process of cyclone Vardah has begun," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) earlier said.

According to M Mohapatra, Additional Director General (Services) of IMD, the "eye" of the Cyclone is 20 kms off Chennai.

"The wind speed near Chennai 90-100 kmph. Heavy rains and storm surge is expected. Landfall process has commenced at 2 PM. The cyclone will cross between 2-5 PM," Mohapatra said.

Heavy rains are expected to continue for the next 8 to 12 hours, said ANI.

Power supply was suspended in many parts of these regions as a precautionary measure.

Flight operations at the airport in Chennai have been suspended till 5 pm.

Long distance buses have been stalled and traffic came to a grinding halt in most areas with uprooted trees and electric poles blocking the roads.

All suburban train services have also been suspended.

Southern Railway announced cancellation of all 17 trains originating from Chennai central, as well as Egmore.

State Principal Secretary (Revenue Administration) K Satyagopal said "human loss is two", without elaborating.

In a statement, he said 260 trees and 37 electric poles had fallen and 190 trees removed. As many 224 roads were blocked and 24 huts damaged.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed the Nellore district administration to evacuate people in about 255 low-lying areas to safer places even as the district started receiving rainfall since morning.

Food and other essential commodities have been kept ready in adequate quantities, said Naidu. He also added that fishermen should not venture out to sea for the next 36 hours.

The Tamil Nadu government for its part has advised people not to leave their homes until 4 pm.

7357 people are evacuated to 54 relief centres safely so far in Tamil Nadu. Over 9,400 people have also been evacuated from along the Bay of Bengal coast in SPS Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

10 diving teams have embarked on ships Shivalik and Kadmat, the Navy said.

Furthermore, 22 diving teams have been kept on standby at Visakhapatnam for immediate deployment.

Eight fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu were rescued from the sea near the Sriharikota High Altitude Range while search was on for ten more persons feared trapped at sea.

"The police and CISF personnel are on the job and all the ten fishermen are safe. But they are somehow reluctant to come to the shore. We will soon bring them out," Nellore Superintendent of Police Vishal Gunni told PTI over phone.

"We have already moved over 9,400 persons in seven vulnerable mandals to safety. All necessary measures have been taken to ensure safety of people," Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana said.

In Sullurpeta mandal in Nellore district, 30 persons were shifted to a relief camp this morning.

The South Central Railway has cancelled some passenger trains between Sullurpeta and Chennai in view of the cyclone.

The Vijayawada-Chennai-Vijayawada Pinakini Express has been diverted via Renigunta and Arrakkonam. Some other Express trains on the Chennai route have also been diverted via Arrakkonam.

Meanwhile, all operations at Chennai airport have been suspended till 6 pm.

The earlier forecast made by the IMD was that it would weaken into a cyclonic storm, thereby reducing its intensity considerably.

At 9:30 am, the cyclone was lay centered around 105 kms east-northeast of Chennai. By the time it makes a landfall, its wind speed is expected to be 100-110 kmph with winds gusting up to 120 kmph.

The wind speed during a very severe cyclonic storm is 120 to 130 kmph. In a severe cyclonic storm the wind speed is somewhere between 110 to 80 kmph.

One of the major reasons for destruction in any cyclone is the wind velocity, apart from heavy to heavy rains and flooding.

Rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy falls over south coastal Andhra Pradesh, north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry is very likely during the next 36 hours.

The rainfall intensity will increase gradually becoming heavy to very heavy rainfall (7-19 cm) at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall (20 cm) over Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts of Tamil Nadu and Nellore and Prakasam districts of Andhra Pradesh on December 12, the IMD said.</s>CHENNAI, India: India on Monday started evacuating thousands of people from fishing villages as Cyclone Vardah barreled towards its southeastern coast at speeds of more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour.

Heavy rains accompanied by high-velocity winds pounded the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh states, uprooting trees and disrupting power supply lines.

A high alert was issued in several affected districts, with eight fishermen having so far been rescued from the sea in view of the “very severe” cyclonic storm.

“We have already moved over 9,400 persons in seven vulnerable mandals (blocks) to safety. All necessary measures have been taken to ensure safety of people,” P Narayana, a minister in the Andhra Pradesh state government, told the Press Trust of India news agency.

Another 7,000 were evacuated in Tamil Nadu state, the National Disaster Management Authority said.

Two navy ships with doctors, food packets and other relief material have also been put on standby, said a navy spokesman.

More than 15 teams of the National Disaster Response Force were deployed, with the storm expected to make landfall in the late afternoon close to Chennai, the state capital of Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu government ordered all educational institutions in coastal districts to be shut as a precaution.

Devastating floods last year killed at least 250 people in Chennai, India’s fourth-largest city, which is home to nearly 4.6 million people.

On its way inland, Cyclone Vardah hit several islands in the Andamans last week, forcing authorities to evacuate hundreds of stranded tourists from the archipelago.

India’s eastern coast and neighboring Bangladesh are routinely hit by bad storms between April and December that cause deaths and widespread property damage.

In 1999, more than 8,000 people were killed when a cyclone battered the eastern state of Orissa. AFP</s>Fishermen return to harbour in Chennai on Sunday. Heavy rains are lashing Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts since early Monday morning. | Photo Credit: PTI

Over 15 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in various coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh for relief and rescue efforts as cyclonic storm ’Vardah’ is expected to make landfall this afternoon.

NDRF chief R.K. Pachnanda said, while eight teams are ready in various areas of Tamil Nadu, seven are in Andhra Pradesh, apart from few others in nearby locations.

“Some more teams are on alert in Arakonam and Guntur and they can be transported immediately in case they are required. We are in constant touch with the two State governments, the Indian Meteorological Department and other relief agencies,” the NDRF Director-General told PTI.

Each NDRF team, comprising about 45 personnel, has been equipped with rescue gadgets and boats in order to respond to any situation emerging due to the cyclone.

“All arrangements are in place and regular updates are being shared,” Mr. Pachnanda said.

Heavy rains lashed Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts since early Monday morning. Power supply was suspended in many parts of these regions as a precautionary measure.

The armed forces have also been asked to be on standby with the Army, navy and air force prepared to be deployed anytime as and when required.

NDRF Assistant Commandant Senthil Kumar said two teams have been deployed in Sullurpeta and one in Tada and one reserve team in Nellore.

“In case of heavy rainfall in low lying areas, we will evacuate immediately. As trees may uproot due to high wind speed, we have tree-cutting equipment to tackle it. We will take immediate action,” he said.

NDRF DIG S.P. Selvam said the personnel are conducting recce of the areas and familiarising themselves with the help of local guides.

“There is a lot of change in preparedness compared to previous years. The state agencies had a meeting yesterday. The chief secretary of Tamil Nadu government held a meeting. High-level meetings were held by the government of Andhra Pradesh also, which our officers attended,” he said.

“There was assessment about the requirements and accordingly we have placed the teams,” he added.

Mr. Selvam said the high velocity winds may cause damage to light infrastructure like thatched huts and trees and may cause traffic jams as trees may fall down.

“The State administration is prepared for clearing up roads and rescuing people. Our teams work with the state authorities. Vulnerable areas have been assessed and accordingly, teams have been placed,” he noted.

“In Chennai, two teams have been placed in Basin bridge and one is in Adyar, and one team each in Kancheepuram and Mahabalipuram,” he said.</s>Tropical cyclone Vardah is packing winds of 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) and is the first cyclone on the Bay of Bengal to reach hurricane force in 2016, according to CNN meteorologists. It could create a one meter high storm surge as it makes landfall.

Vardah is expected to bring extremely heavy rainfall to Chennai in the southeast state of Tamil Nadu and the state of Andhra Pradesh, added CNN meterologists.

The cyclone is currently at category 1 strength, but is expected to weaken to a tropical storm with sustained winds of 80 to 90 kmph (50 to 56 mph) as it makes landfall.

The Indian Meteorological Department has issued heavy rain warnings for southern India.

Chennai, a city on the Bay of Bengal in eastern India, is the country's second largest financial hub after Mumbai. Vardah could also take a heavy toll on the country's agricultural sector, destroying banana plantations, papaya groves and rice paddies. According to local media reports , Vardah has prompted schools and colleges to close in Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur districts and the coastal areas of Viluppuram district in the state of Tamil Nadu. India's labor department has also issued an advisory instructing companies to allow employees to work from home. Tropical cyclone Vardah is the strongest cyclone since October 2014 when cyclone Hud Hud moved into Andhra Pradesh, claiming over 100 lives and causing $3.4 billion in damage. Vardah could also hit fishing villages located along the coast of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.</s>A cyclone barrelled into the southeast coast of India on Monday, killing at least two people and bringing down trees and power lines as authorities moved tens of thousands of people from low-lying areas.

Cyclone Vardah moved west over the Bay of Bengal before hitting Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu, as well as neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the Indian Meteorological Department said, describing it as a “very severe storm”.

Strong wind of up to 140 kph (87 mph) battered the densely populated coast, uprooting trees and bringing down electricity pylons.

Flights at Chennai airport were cancelled, railway services in the area suspended and schools and colleges were closed.

Chennai is home to Indian operations of major auto firms such as Ford Motor Daimler Hyundai and Nissan.

Vardah is forecast to pass over Chennai over the next few hours, drenching the city in heavy rain before easing in intensity, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.

“Winds to pick up after current lull period. Everyone to not venture out,” the NDMA said on Twitter, adding that two people had been killed and 24 homes damaged.

“Expect very heavy rainfall after few hours. To become better once system crosses completely.”

A “storm surge” will be about one metre (three feet) high.

More than 23,000 people in Tamil Nadu have been moved to relief centres, with plans for tens of thousands more to be evacuated if needed, a senior state official, K. Satyagopal, told Reuters.

More than 10,000 people from two districts in Andhra Pradesh had also been moved, its disaster management commissioner, M.V. Seshagiri Babu, said.

The NDMA warned fishermen not to venture out to sea for the next 36 hours, and urged residents to stay in safe places.

Navy ships and aircraft, as well as 30 diving teams, were on standby to help move people and deliver aid if needed, a navy spokesman said.

India’s cyclone season usually runs from April to December, with storms often causing dozens of deaths, evacuations of tens of thousands of people and widespread damage to crops and property.

Wind speeds topped 300 km per hour (186 mph) in an Indian “super-cyclone” that killed 10,000 people in 1999, while a cyclone packing speeds of more than 200 kph (124 mph) lashed the east coast in 2013.</s>A van is damaged after a building collapses on it on the Ponamallee High road as cyclone Vardah made its landfall in Chennai on Monday. | Photo Credit: K. Pichumani

Very severe cyclonic storm ’Vardah’, the most intense to have hit the Tamil Nadu capital in two decades, claimed four lives, flattened homes, snapped power, communication lines and threw into disarray rail, road and air traffic as it crossed the coast here, pounding Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram with heavy rain and squall.

Thousands of people were evacuated as roaring wind clocking speed of 100 km an hour uprooted trees, tore off hoardings and toppled cars.

Two fishermen were reported missing off the Andhra Pradesh coast in Kakinada and the Coast Guard has deployed ship for search and rescue operations. Though no major loss of life or property has been reported from Andhra Pradesh so far, heavy rains lashed Chittoor and SPS Nellore district, affecting normal life.

Public transport came to a standstill in Chennai with buses and suburban trains suspended and airport shut. Rail, road and air traffic, official sources said, were likely to be restored by Tuesday.

Most commercial establishments downed shutters in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts.

“After 1994, this is the first very severe cyclonic storm to hit Chennai coast. The storm has completely crossed the coast as expected (this evening),” a senior Met Official here told PTI.

Civic workers used hand-held battery-operated wood cutters to remove hundreds of uprooted trees lying on the roads.

Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF were deployed for rescue efforts as army was put on standby.

A Home Ministry spokesperson said in Delhi that four people were killed in the storm in Tamil Nadu, while six teams of NDRF and four of SDRF were engaged in rescue efforts.

About 8,000 people from low-lying areas in north Chennai, Pazhaverkadu in Tiruvallur district and villages off Mamallapuram, in Kancheepuram district were safely evacuated to 95 relief shelters, officials said.

In Andhra Pradesh, over 9,400 people living along the Bay of Bengal were evacuated to relief camps amid heavy rain.

Also, separate teams of personnel drawn from the health, sanitary and electricity departments were deployed for relief operations in low-lying areas of the three storm-hit Tamil Nadu districts.

The Met department said the intensity of wind and rainfall would recede after ‘Vardah’ made landfall near Chennai between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Coastal regions of northern Tamil Nadu — Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram — continue to be on high alert even as people in low-lying areas were accommodated in relief centres.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to take stock of the situation in the two States and promised all help.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Nadu apprised the Home Minister of the damage caused by the cyclone and steps taken for the rescue and relief.

Mr. Panneerselvam was constantly monitoring the situation as State ministers were visiting relief centres to oversee relief distribution.

The Southern Railway said the cyclone had caused severe impact to its infrastructure and prompted cancellation, diversion and suspension of rail services.

“The intensity of the cyclone has had a severe impact on the infrastructure of Chennai Division, resulting in considerable damage. Overhead electrical lines have been damaged at several locations,” Southern Railway Divisional Railway Manager Anupam Sharma said.

“As a result of disruption of overhead electrical lines, 16 trains have been held up in Jolarpettai — Chennai Central section and four trains in Villupuram — Chennai Egmore section.

Several Chennai-bound trains have been regulated at various stations of Chennai division, he said.

Although all efforts were being made to restore normalcy as early as possible, full assessment for restoration work was possible only after the cyclone has finally ebbed away, he added.

Urgent steps were being taken to ensure movement of all Mail/Express trains which were held up mid-section. Passengers of all such trains were given maximum facilities so as to obviate the hardships to the extent possible, Sharma said.

Operations at Chennai airport were suspended for the entire night, with nearly 170 services being disrupted through the day even as 10 flights were cancelled.

A total of 44 international and 123 domestic services were affected as they were diverted to nearby airports like Bengaluru even as many stranded passengers were still waiting at domestic and international terminals.

Steps were being taken to distribute food to them, they said.

Departing flights to cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru were cancelled.

Subsequently, there was no possibility of resuming operations, which were earlier announced suspended till 5 PM, officials said.

The strong winds damaged seven glass panels and roof at three places at the airport, officials said.

A car was damaged after an uprooted tree fell on it.

In the three affected districts, skeletal bus services were being operated on select routes.

The social media was also abuzz with discussions on ’Vardah’, with people sharing information and pictures on the cyclone.

Videos and pictures of damage to property including huts and even a star hotel in Chennai and uprooting of trees gave a glimpse of the magnitude of the storm.

A report from Amravati in Andhra Pradesh said as many as 18 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who strayed into the Bay of Bengal on Sunday despite warnings, were rescued from near the Sriharikota high altitude range in afternoon.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced in evening that Andhra Pradesh was ready to extend all necessary help to neighbouring Tamil Nadu that bore the brunt of ‘Vardah’.

With forecast of heavy rains for the next 24 hours in Nellore, Chittoor, Prakasam and Anantapuramu districts, the official machinery has been asked to remain on alert, mostly to prevent breach of tanks.

Meanwhile, the regional meteorological department in its latest bulletin said Chennai recorded highest rainfall of six centimetres followed by various places in neighbouring Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts.

During the last 24 hours, rainfall occurred at various places over north coastal Tamil Nadu and at isolated places over remaining Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.

In its forecast for the next 24 hours, the MeT office said rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy over south coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, North Coastal Tamil Nadu was “very likely“.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall (between seven and 19 centimetres were expected) at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall of over 20 cms were ‘very likely’ over Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts.

Gale wind speed reaching 100-110kms per hour gusting to 120 kmph was very likely to prevail during the next 12 hours along and off Chennai and Tiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu, Nellore and adjoining areas of Prakasam districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The tidal waves of about one metre height and above was “very likely” to inundate the low lying areas of Chennai and Tiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu, it said.

A government release said schools and colleges in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts would be remained closed on December 13, 2016, as well.
Tropical Cyclone Vardah is expected to make landfall in southern India today bringing heavy rain to the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu as well as Andhra Pradesh. At least four people have been killed and tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from low lying areas.