Delta districts devastated

Winds reaching up to speed of 110 kmph, accompanied by heavy downpour, uprooted lakhs of trees and electricity poles disrupting road connectivity and throwing most parts of the coastal delta districts into darkness.

The fury of the tropical cyclone was so severe that around 30 lives, according to unconfirmed reports, were lost in the central districts due to wall collapse, uprooting of trees and other rain-related incidents.

Thankfully, the suspension of power supply in the storm-hit areas as a precautionary measure minimised the loss of lives, said the district administration officials. 

As soon as the cyclone hit the coastal areas, several trees and electricity poles were uprooted, while the roof of thatched and asbestos buildings were blown away.  Sources said that while over 19,000 EB posts were damaged, more than a lakh trees had fallen across the delta region.

Vedaranyam, Arcotthurai, Kodiyakarai, Vellapallam, Kizhvelur, Nagore, Veilankanni, Sikkal in Nagapattinam district, Tiruvarur, Thiruthuraipoondi, Mannargudi and Needamangalam in Tiruvarur district bore the maximum brunt of the gale and downpour.

Subsequently, the cyclone moved towards Thanjavur and a family of four died on the spot after the wall of the house of Velmurugan, a resident of Sivakkollai near Pattukkottai, collapsed in the aftermath of the cyclone. The debris fell on the members of Velmurgan’s family, who were fast asleep. Velmurugan’s sons, V Sathish (22), V Ramesh (21), V Dinesh (19) and a relative, M Ayyadurai (19), who were caught under the rubble, died on the spot.

In another wall collapse, M Keerthivasan, the three-year-old son of Muthukumar of Adirampattinam, succumbed to injuries. C Saradhambal (70) of Vennukudithottam near Papanasam, K Perumal (45) of Sillathur near Orathanadu, M Kala (17) of Periyakachipettai in Peravurani were crushed to death in similar incidents.

E Karuppaian (22) of Ottankadu near Pattukkottai, was crushed to death after a teak tree fell on his house. In a similar incident, S Valliammai (50) of Thennangudi, who was standing outside her house, died after a coconut tree fell on her. S Muneeswaran (12) of Erippurakkarai in Adiramapattinam was killed after an asbestos sheet fell on him. Six more were injured in Gaja-related incidents in the district.

In Pudukkottai, it ravaged several houses killing as many as seven persons. The victims were identified as P Seethayee (63) of Annavasal, Ramasamy (48) of Pachikottai in Alangudi, N Ponnammal (60) of Rathinakottai in Aranthangi, Easwari (26) of Viralimalai, Kasinathan (50) of Mangalanadu, Arumugam (70) of Paravanur and Mekala (6) from Santhaipettai in Pudukkottai, all victims of wall and roof collapse incidents. The cyclone did not spare even Tiruchy, a non-coastal district and region that was not on Gaja’s radar. Two persons, Duraisamy (61) an auto driver of Burma Colony, and Chinnammal (65) of Palakurichi, died in wall collapse.

Thanjavur and Tiruvarur too faced the fury of Gaja. Banana cultivated in around 1,800 hectares suffered extensive damage in these areas. Coconut farmers and fishermen in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur district were badly hit.

According to P Nagarajan, the banana crop was raised for the Pongal season, but the entire crop had been damaged causing a loss to the tune of over Rs 16 lakh. As per initial estimates, coconut trees, mostly in the coastal belt of Peravurani, Pattukkottai, Sethubavachathiram, Adirampattinam, in around 5,000 hectares in the district were either uprooted or broken. 

The fisherfolk living in Mallipattinam, Sethubavachathiram, Adrimappattinam lost their boats. Of the 300 odd mechanised boats more than 250 were either damaged or drifted into the sea.

Cyclone Gaja caused heavy damage to Veilankanni. The recently installed statue of Jesus was damaged while the domes of the church were also hit. As the cyclone was on its peak with 110 kmph speed, the cross domes of the main church were tossed off while the candle lighting shed was blown away and soon, it hit the 78 feet statue of Jesus near Morning Star Church and both the hands of the statue were damaged. However, no one was hurt. 

Though most of the devotees visiting the shrine kept themselves indoors, the regular masses were held. But the number of participants was less and the live relay of the mass was suspended. Soon after the incident, the devotees and church administration thronged the spot and inspected the damage. Meanwhile, the shops in the main street of Veilankanni were totally damaged and the bus shelter was also blown away.