Close encounter with Cyclone Thane

Posted by MydeaMedia

To those in interior south India, Cyclone Thane might be just another cold, wet day to grumble about. Or perhaps even enjoy as we huddle over a hot beverage. But on the east coast of India, cyclone Thane's fury was at its peak early this morning. At about 9 AM, the cyclone made landfall between Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry on India's eastern coastline. Winds, at speeds of 140 kph, tore avenue trees off the ground, hurled dustbins afar, snapped coconut palms like matchsticks, ripped windows out of their hinges, and tossed catamarans and fishing boats ashore. Gigantic, furious waves washed up great boulders onto the esplanade and raging winds smashed the doors of the French Consulate with debris. Power and cellular networks have been disrupted and fears of a water shortage are rising. Sahastrarashmi, who is running on erratic broadband on his last minutes of electricity, sends these unsettling pictures from Puducherry.

At 9 AM on Friday, December 30, Cyclone Thane made landfall between Cuddalore and Puducherry on India's south-eastern sea coast. Winds with speeds of 140 kilometers per hour caused immense destruction though no loss of life has yet been reported. Sahastrarashmi, a resident of Puducherry who works with an IT company in Chennai and writes for the nature blog The Green Ogre, stepped out into the streets early this morning and reported that just walking against the powerful winds required a huge effort. Just hours later, the streets were strewn with debris, trees had fallen, and boats had washed up several hundred meters into the town's main streets. These pictures were taken with great presence of mind and shared exclusively with Yahoo! India over a dodgy broadband connection even as power supply from his UPS was rapidly trickling.

If you are anywhere between Puducherry and Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, please travel cautiously.

Rubble and debris are strewn in the streets of Puducherry after Cyclone Thane made landfall at 9 AM on December 30. If you are anywhere between Puducherry and Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, please travel cautiously.

Avenue trees have been uprooted by the fury of Cyclone Thane in Puducherry. If you are anywhere between Puducherry and Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, please travel cautiously.

Fallen trees in the lanes of Puducherry. Tourism has been hit as travelers steered clear of the idyllic French enclave after the Met department issued warnings of heavy winds accompanying the cyclone.

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