NEW DELHI: A total of 29 NDRF teams have been deployed in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Puducherry to undertake relief and rescue operations in the wake of the severe cyclonic storm Michaung hurtling down India's eastern coast on Tuesday, a senior officer said.
Fourteen National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in Tamil Nadu (five in Chennai), 11 in Andhra Pradesh, one in Telangana and three in Puducherry.
"Our focus is on Andhra Pradesh as the cyclone will make landfall there and a number of trees, poles and other infrastructure could be uprooted, leading to blockage of communication and power lines," the officer said.
The NDRF is also prepared to launch rescue and relief operations for the affected people who could be stranded, he said.
The teams, armed with wood and pole cutters along with inflatable boats, are already undertaking route-clearing operations in various parts of Tamil Nadu, where the cyclone wreaked havoc on Tuesday morning, the officer said.
Some additional teams have been kept on standby and they will be moved into the affected areas as and when the requisition is made by the state governments, another NDRF officer said.
A dozen people lost their lives in various rain-related incidents in and around Chennai on Tuesday while rescue personnel on fishing boats and farm tractors were engaged in helping those stranded.
Eleven people were injured in rain-related incidents and are undergoing treatment in various hospitals, according to officials.
The name Michaung (pronounced as migjaum) for the cyclonic storm was suggested by Myanmar and it means strength or resilience.