Cyclone Arnab Triggers High Waves And Road Closures Along North Chennai Coast

High waves from Cyclone Arnab hit coastal roads in north Chennai and Tiruvallur district on Tuesday evening, sending sea water onto the land and panicking residents. Traffic on the Ennore Expressway was shut down by the National Highways Authority of India after waves drenched vehicles and pushed smaller ones around.

Affected Areas And Public Reaction

Residents of Kasikoilkuppam, Ennore, Tiruvottiyur, Bharathi Nagar and Ramakrishna Nagar rushed out of their homes as the storm surge hit. Mahalingam from Kasikoilkuppam said water entered their village and called it a scary situation. Some local fishermen even feared a tsunami and wanted to check if an earthquake had occurred. Tiruvottiyur MLA N. Senthil Kumar visited the area and urged the public not to panic.

Traffic Diversions And Safety Measures

Ennore traffic police set up diversions along two routes to keep people safe. Vehicles moving from Ramakrishna Nagar to Annai Sivagami Nagar are routed via Ernavur Bridge, Murugar Kovil Road and Kathivakkam Beach. Traffic from Thazhakuppam and Ennore is directed through Kathivakkam Bridge and Murugar Kovil Road. In Tiruvallur district, Collector S. Kavitha deployed the police, fire services and revenue department to protect coastal residents.

Context

Tropical cyclones frequently form in the Bay of Bengal during this time of the year, bringing strong winds and high tidal surges to the eastern coast of India. The Regional Meteorological Centre had earlier issued warnings about rough seas in the region. Such weather events generally ease once the system moves further away or makes landfall.