ReliefWeb

1. Brief description of the emergency

A very severe cyclonic storm, 'Thane', hit the Tamil Nadu coast on Friday 30 December 2011 leaving 33 people dead and causing extensive damage to Cuddalore and the neighbouring union territory of Puduchery which remained cut-off from the nearby districts of the state. Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds also lashed south coastal Andhra and Chittoor district of Rayalaseema region under the impact of cyclone Thane. "Under the influence of this system, rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places would occur over north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during next 12 hours and over north interior Tamil Nadu during next 24 hours," reported an Indian weather bulletin on Friday 30 December 2011. Further, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur over south coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 12 hours and over Rayalseema, north Kerala and south Karnataka during the next 24 hours.