Cyclone Mandous claims 4 lives, Red alert for rain in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka

Cyclone Mandous which struck Tamil Nadu on Friday night claimed four lives and damaged hundreds of kucha houses in the state. With the wind speed gusting up to 70 kmph, around 400 trees were uprooted in Chennai and Marina Beach in the city was completely inundated, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said.

The Central meteorological department has issued a Yellow Alert for Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka that could witness heavy rains in the wake of Mandaus.

According to the IMD, heavy rains will continue in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu on Sunday despite the weakening of Cyclone Mandous. Officials say the state will be hit by thunderstorms for the next 48 hours and the rain is likely to gradually decrease from December 12.

Meanwhile, heavy rains lashed several parts of south coastal and Rayalaseema districts of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday after the cyclonic storm.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which manages the affairs of the temple, closed some routes to Tirumala due to apprehension of landslides.

Water level in lakes and ponds in and around Tirupati reached the maximum level due to the downpour.

According to an official release from the Tamil Nadu government, 20.5 mm of rainfall was recorded in Annamaiya district, 22 mm in Chittoor, 10.1 mm in Prakasam, 23.4 mm in SPSR Nellore district, 2.4 mm in Tirupati district and 13.2 mm in YSR Kadapa district from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm on Saturday.