Severe cyclonic storm 'Montha' has begun making landfall off the Andhra Pradesh coast, with the process expected to continue for the next three to four hours. The storm is expected to cross the coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, with wind speeds of 90-100 kmph.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) issued high sea waves, up to 4.7 metres high, warning across several coastal districts.
Cyclone Montha crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast, resulting in two deaths, extensive crop damage, and disruptions to power and transportation. Neighboring Telangana also experienced heavy rains. Government relief efforts are underway.
Nearly two days after over 30 people lost their lives in a fire onboard the Tamil Nadu Express at Nellore, Railways Minister Mukul Roy did not rule out sabotage in the incident.
The Rail Land Development Authority has invited online bids from private players to redevelop the station into an integrated commercial, retail, and hospitality hub.
The government declared Monday (Dec 4) a public holiday and urged private companies to encourage 'work from home' option for its employees in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts.
Tracing the remaining persons was proving a daunting task as the river remained in spate with over two lakh cusecs of floodwater gushing, sources said.
The main rail and road routes in Andhra Pradesh, connecting the south and east, remained cut off as the Penna river in spate caused heavy destruction on Sunday.
Heavy rains continued to pound Chennai and nearby districts on Monday under the impact of a cyclonic storm, which is likely to cross the coast in Andhra Pradesh on December 5.
The tourist bus with 70 occupants coming from Nellore to Railway Kudur in Kadapa district had fallen in to a deep gorge on Thursday night. 35 others were injured.
Railway Minister Mukul Roy on Monday said that some injured passengers and a gateman had heard a loud sound when the S-11 coach of Tamil Nadu Express caught fire, but refused to say at this stage whether he suspected sabotage
Crackers carried by passengers led to the fire in the Tamil Nadu Express that claimed 32 lives in July, according to an inquiry by Commissioner Railway Safety which absolved the railway staff.
Condoling the loss of lives in the fire accident in the Tamil Nadu Express, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday asked the Railway ministry to render all assistance to the affected.
A day after horrifying fire accident aboard the Chennai bound Tamil Nadu Express killed 32 people, railway officials were trying hard to identify the charred remains of the passengers and hand them over to their families.
Four bodies of the S-11 coach of Tamil Nadu Express, which was devastated by fire on Monday, would be sent for a DNA test to ascertain their gender as the bodies were charred beyond identification.
IMD said on Tuesday that the cyclone has a wind speed of 100-110 kmph and gusting to 120 kmph. The coastal areas of Tamil Nadu are expected to receive heavy rain between November 23-26.
Railway passengers in the restive Seema-Andhra region of Andhra Pradesh are bearing the brunt of ongoing strike by employees of state power corporations with many trains are either being partially cancelled or rescheduled.
Agitating against the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh, Samaikyandhra supporters on Tuesday continued with their week-long protests across coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.
Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have announced a lockdown of educational institutions, malls and other places that attract people in large numbers, even as some of them have been reporting increase in positive cases.
State government announced ex gratia for kin of those who lost lives.
Medhavi Kirti, the granddaughter of late veteran Congress leader Babu Jagjiwan Ram, has been campaigning against her aunt Meira Kumar, Lok Sabha Speaker and Congress candidate from Sasaram Lok Sabha seat in Bihar.
Andhra Pradesh now comes third in ease of doing business.
Rains will continue to batter Tamil Nadu for the next seven days and the next 48 hours are "very crucial", the IMD has said.
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