Cyclone Michaung, currently swirling over the Bay of Bengal and heading towards the Andhra coast, has unleashed torrential rain upon Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. 

Heavy rainfall was reported in north coastal Tamil Nadu, encompassing Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Nagapattinam, and Cuddalore districts, with Thiruvallur district bearing the brunt of the downpour. 

Most parts of Chennai are submerged in water, with heavy inundation in low-lying areas. The cyclone is expected to make landfall between Nellore and Machilipatnam tomorrow noon.

Chennai city and its neighboring districts received heavy rainfall overnight, with Meenambakkam recording 196 mm and Nungambakkam receiving 154.3 mm in the 24 hours leading up to 5:30 am this morning. 

As a result, schools, colleges, and government offices in Chennai and three adjoining districts will remain closed today, and the state government has urged private companies to allow their employees to work from home.

Authorities have set up nearly 5,000 relief centres in coastal districts to assist those affected by the heavy rain that lashed the city and its neighboring districts overnight. Chief Minister MK Stalin reviewed the safety measures last night and is closely monitoring the situation.

#CycloneMichaung-ஐ எதிர்கொள்ள அரசு இயந்திரம் தயார் நிலையில் உள்ளது. அமைச்சர்களும் அதிகாரிகளும் களத்தில் உள்ளனர்.

வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ள பாதுகாப்பு நெறிமுறைகளைப் பொதுமக்கள் கட்டாயம் கடைப்பிடிப்பீர்; புயலின் தாக்கம் குறையும் வரை அத்தியாவசியத் தேவைகளின்றிப் பொதுமக்கள் யாரும் வெளியில் வர… pic.twitter.com/8ngdPMiJVm

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 3, 2023

“The state machine is ready to face Cyclone Michaung. Ministers and officials are in the field. The public must adhere to the safety protocols provided. I also request that the public should not come out without essential needs until the impact of the storm subsides,” Chief Minister Stalin posted on X. 

Due to the heavy rains, bridge No.14 between Basin Bridge and Vyasarpadi has been temporarily shut down as a precautionary measure to ensure public safety. 

This closure has resulted in the cancellation of six trains departing from Dr MGR Chennai Central railway station, including those bound for Coimbatore and Mysuru. The Southern Railway has announced that all passengers affected by the train cancellations will receive full refunds.

Additionally, 14 subways have been closed after severe waterlogging. The city’s airport was also not spared, with 12 domestic outbound flights and four international flights being canceled. Three incoming international flights were diverted to Bengaluru due to the weather conditions.

To aid in relief and rescue efforts, authorities have stationed eight NDRF and nine SDRF teams in the affected districts of Villupuram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thiruvallur, Cuddalore, and Chengalpattu.

The water discharge from the Chembarambakkam reservoir outside Chennai has been reduced to 1500 cusecs to mitigate the risk of flooding in low-lying areas.
 

Poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu has yet again proven to be the man with the Midas touch, plotting the Congress’ amazing turnaround in Telangana months after being the architect of the grand old party’s return to power in Karnataka.

Mr Kanugolu was largely credited for shaping the Congress’ win in Karnataka and was later accorded Cabinet rank in the Siddaramaiah government.

This time, Mr Kanugolu along with PCC chief A Revanth Reddy formed a formidable pair to chalk out the Congress’ strategy to pull down the K Chandrashekhar Rao-led BRS government that was eying a third term in the southern state.

The Congress won 64 seats in the 119-member Telangana assembly while it suffered crushing defeats in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

Mr Kanugolu had also made forays in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh following a directive from the party’s central leadership but regional satraps Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath reportedly were not on the same page as the poll strategist.

Ahead of the Rajasthan elections, Mr Kanugolu had made an assessment about the winnability of probable candidates but Mr Gehlot reportedly did not agree to his suggestions and brought in Naresh Arora’s Designboxed to construct the Congress government’s narrative in the run-up to the assembly polls.

Sources say that the success of Mr Kanugolu in Karnataka and Telangana was the result of the free hand given to him and allowing his team to work freely.

Mr Kanugolu, who hails from Karnataka and is in his early 40s, has been considered largely as the brain behind the Congress’ narrative in Karnataka with the ‘PayCM’ campaign against the BJP. In the run-up to the polls in Telangana, he highlighted the alleged corruption of the K Chandrashekhar Rao dispensation as part of Congress’ campaign that seemed to have struck a chord with the people.

The campaigns run by the Congress in Karnataka and Telangana have been very similar as both highlighted the alleged graft of the ruling dispensation and projected welfare guarantees that seemed to have struck an instant connection with the public.

Interestingly, Mr Kanugolu has also been involved in several BJP poll campaigns in the past. In 2018, he worked with the BJP in Karnataka and the party managed to become the single largest party with 104 seats.

He had also worked on Narendra Modi’s campaign in 2014, as well as the party’s political campaigns in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

Mr Kanugolu, a former consultant with McKinsey, was also associated with DMK chief MK Stalin and oversaw the party’s ‘Namakku Naame’ (we are for ourselves) campaign during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In 2021, he also worked with AIADMK against the DMK and led the party to win 75 seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections.

Mr Kanugolu had joined the Congress last year and worked closely with the Karnataka campaign.

He is also credited with strategising Rahul Gandhi’s cross-country ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Kanyakumari to Kashmir last year.

Having delivered Karnataka and Telangana to the Congress, Mr Kanugolu is likely to be given more responsibilities by the party in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. PTI ASK PYK ANB ANB

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bobby Deol’s talent has opened new doors of opportunities for him over the past few years. Be it on OTT or now with the massive success of Animal on the big screen, he’s truly arrived. Fans can’t keep calm as they shower him with immense love.

Bobby was seen getting teary-eyed a few days ago over the reception of the Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial which also features Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor and more. He was clicked last evening yet again as a sea of fans cheered him on. Dressed in a white tee and denim look, he was all smiles as always.

Check out the pictures here: