Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Gone with the wind

Special Correspondent

Hopes of rain in fag end of katri were swept away by dust storm

No silver lining: It looked as though monsoon clouds had converged on Chennai but they dissipated as soon as they came. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: A sudden burst of wind caused by a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal disturbed normal life in the city for about half an hour in the afternoon.

The winds, whose speed touched 55 km an hour between 1 p.m. and 1.30 p.m., gave rise to concern among pedestrians and vehicle users on Kamarajar Salai, as they also stirred up a dust storm. Sand was blown away to Kamarajar Salai from the beachfront. A thick film of dust lay on the roadsides.

Traffic halted

Some blinded by the thick curtain of dust that blew across the roads, almost lost control of their vehicle and many banked to the kerbside till the gusts ended in about 15 minutes.

The wind activity led to dark clouds gathering over the city, bringing down day temperatures by nearly five or six degrees Celsius in less than half an hour.

But hopes of rain in the last few days of `Katri' or Agni Natchathram failed to materialise, as the clouds were blown away in the wind.

Weather office personnel said a low pressure was building up off the Bay along north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast and this could have led to the gust of winds that brought a chill with them. The strong winds may also continue for another day.

Hoardings disrupted

In several parts of the city and suburbs, heavy wind disrupted hoardings and blew away thatched sheds on the coastal side.

A large hoarding near Tirusoolam railway station came crashing down.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

Results are out, students wait for ranking
Rogue bus mows down woman on Anna Salai
NTC to hand over two mills to Pondicherry Government
An idea to keep women hale and hearty
Quality symbol introduced for purity of silk products
Gone with the wind
New Vice-Chancellor for Tamil University
Adikesavan's son surrenders in court
MBA applications to be issued from May 30
Clinton to visit resource centre
Around the City
In Chennai Today

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu