As Cyclone Vardah moves closer to the Chennai coast, the Tamil Nadu government has urged people to take all precautions.
Here is the advisory:
1.Stay indoors during the heavy rains and not allow Children to venture out, to swim or play in water bodies and stagnant water.
2. Stock adequate food stuffs, medicines and drinking water at home and use them judiciously. Keep overhead tanks particularly in multistoried buildings filled up, so as to plan for the contingency of power disruption due to rain.
3. Keep emergency lights and mobile phones charged. Stock adequate quantities of candles and matches.
4. Go to relief centres as and when advised to do so by officials.
5. Avoid using personal vehicle like two wheelers and cars during the cyclone.
The press release issues also stated that senior IAS officers appointed as Monitoring Officers for Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur and Villupuram to be present in the districts to oversee and monitor cyclone related works in close coordination with the District Collectors.
Moreover, Army, Navy, Air-force and Coast Guard have been alerted to be on standby for deployment as and when necessary. NDRF, SDRF, Fire and Rescue services department personnel are already pre-positioned and shall be immediately utilized wherever necessary for rescue and relief operations.
Furthermore, PWD will monitor and manage water ways and water bodies and keep the river mouths open to ensure water flow into the sea. Sand bags and poles to be kept ready in various places to attend to emergencies.