‘Divine grace and TN government’s measures cut down loss of lives due to Nivar’

By Venkatachari Jagannathan Chennai, Nov 26 : A combination of factors — divine as well as man made — resulted in reduced number of casualties in Tamil Nadu due to the very severe cyclonic storm Nivar that crossed the state and neighbouring Puducherry’s coast on Wednesday night and Thursday early morning, said a senior state government official.
“God was kind as the wind speed was a bit less. Further, the lessons learnt from earlier cyclones by the government as well as the people enabled reduction in loss of lives and property,” Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Department and also the nodal officer for Nivar-related works for Cuddalore district told IANS.
Three persons were killed and an equal number injured as the very severe cyclonic storm Nivar wreaked havoc in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Thursday.
On its way the cyclone also damaged several houses, uprooted trees and power lines in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore, Marakkanam and in Puducherry also.
A total of 101 houses, including thatched huts and tiled houses were damaged by cyclone, the Tamil Nadu government said.
According to the government, about 380 trees were uprooted by Nivar and a 34-acre banana plantation in Cuddalore was damaged.