Indian expats in UAE keep in touch with family members facing cyclone

DUBAI // Anxious expatriates have been keeping in constant touch with families under the threat of Cyclone Nilam.

The storm has battered south-east India and Sri Lanka, displacing more than 150,000 people in Tamil Nadu and thousands in Sri Lanka.

“The situation is a little worrying in Colombo,” said Mohammed Giado, a Sri Lankan who has travelled to Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district, which faced the full fury of the cyclone’s 75kph winds.

“I spoke to my brother and rains are very heavy. Things are worse in Kandy. However, it has not reached an alarming stage yet.”

Mr Giado said heavy rains continued to lash the area.

The storm weakened yesterday as the death toll rose to six, with two more people reported killed in Andhra Pradesh state.

Helicopters continued to search the Bay of Bengal for four missing crew members of an oil tanker that ran aground off Chennai.

Dubai resident Vishnupriya Paramathayalan said water had entered her family’s home in Puducherry, 160 kilometres south of Chennai in India.

“When I spoke to my family they said water was getting in,” said Ms Paramathayalan.

“We live only one kilometre from the beach. Lots of trees are also down. Our well is overflowing and they are facing power cuts. I am in constant touch with them.”

pkannan@thenational.ae