Residents of coastal hamlets heave a sigh of relief as cyclone Mandous causes no harm

Small joys: After restrictions imposed in view of the cyclone were withdrawn, tourists visit the beach in Puducherry on Saturday morning. Photo: Special Arrangement

People residing in the coastal hamlets of Puducherry heaved a sigh of relief after cyclone Mandous crossed the Mamallapuram coast in the early hours of Saturday without causing destruction to life and property. The Puducherry region did not have any major impact when the cyclone made its landfall.

According to officials in the Revenue Department, the region recorded 3 cm rainfall from 8 p.m on Friday to 8 a.m on Saturday. Barring damages to electric lines in a few places and felling of tree branches, the cyclone did not have any major impact. The damages caused to electric lines were rectified by Saturday morning, the official said.

Apart from the eight houses damaged in the high tide at Pillaichavady on Friday, minor damages to huts were reported in rural areas.. The revenue authorities are in the process of assessing the damages to huts. District Collector E. Vallavan has already visited Pillaichavady to assess the damage due to sea erosion, the official said.