Chennai, October 29
Cyclonic weather in the state took the death toll to 30 as it damaged property, roads and crops worth thousands of crores of rupees.

State revenue minister I. Periaswamy said: “Till now 30 persons have died in different parts of the state since the northeast monsoon broke out.”

Lashing rains accompanied by strong winds and a forecast of an approaching cyclone from the Bay of Bengal forced the authorities to evacuate thousands of people to safety as houses collapsed.

In the districts of Nagapattinam and Cuddalore, which were worst hit by tsunami three years ago, tens of thousands of people were taken to safer places as the water level rose above danger level. Not only houses but bridges also collapsed because of the incessant downpour and roads were damaged cutting off communication in many rural areas.

Thousands of hectares of crops have been submerged not only in these two districts but also in areas in southern Tamil Nadu off the coast. The rains doomed the prospects of lakhs of farmers as the crop has been destroyed.

Early in the morning, people heaved a sigh of relief as the cyclone alert sounded after a cyclonic depression in the Bay of Bengal was detected yesterday 480 km from the state capital. The metropolis itself yesterday recorded a rainfall of 11.8 cm leading to water logging in many parts.