The severe cyclonic storm Michaung crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast close to Bapatla district with gales reaching speeds of 90–100 km per hour, an Amaravati Meteorological Centre official said.
The weather system brought in heavy bouts of rain in several places across Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu in the past couple of hours.
A dozen people have died in various rain-related incidents induced by the cyclone in and around Chennai. Personnel on fishing boats and farm tractors were engaged in rescuing stranded people on Tuesday.
A total of 29 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed along the Andhra coast to tackle the impact of the cyclone.
In Chennai, heavy rainfall due to the influence of the cyclone, turned roads into rivers and swept vehicles away on Tuesday, forcing authorities to declare closure of educational institutions. Private offices asked their employees to work from home till the situation improves.
The rainfall, coupled with strong winds, brought down trees, walls, and electric poles. Floodwaters entered government hospitals, resulting in the temporary suspension of healthcare services, while there were cases of waterlogging at metro stations.
The cyclone took a hit on transportation services, with several trains and flights cancelled. The Chennai airport runway was flooded as no flights were available till 9 am on Tuesday, causing chaos and inconvenience to passengers.