Trichy: About 51,870 residents of Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts have been safely moved to shelters established across the districts in view of Cyclone 'Gaja'. Subsequently, holiday was declared for schools and colleges in Nagapattinam, Tiruvaur, Thanjavur and Pudukkottai districts.Officials said that a total of 44,087 people from Nagapattinam, Kilvelur, Thirukkuvalai, Vedharanyam, Mayiladuthurai, Tharangambadi, Sirkali and Kuttalam have been accommodated in 111 shelters till 8.30 pm on Thursday. Also, as many as 5,189 people from Mannargudi, Thiruthuraipoondi, Tiruvarur, Nannilam, Kudavasal and Valangaiman taluks have been safely shifted to 69 special camps in Tiruvarur district.This apart, 1,881 from Pudukottai and 713 from Thanjavur also safely shifted to various camps established respective districts. Officials said an alert has been issued along the coastal areas asking people residing in low-lying areas and thatched houses to move to cyclone shelters.The Nagapattinam district administration stepped up efforts to face the cyclone with the deployment of three teams of national disaster relief force who arrived from Arakkonam. District collector S Sureshkumar met the team and briefed them about the present condition in the district. State food minister R Kamaraj visited various places in Tiruvarur district including Muthupettai, Jambuvanodai and Thillaivilagam and inspected the preparedness to face the cyclone, while minister for handloomand textiles O S Manian took out a tour in the district and inspected the shelters and other arrangements to meet the exigencies.As the intensity of the cyclone became stronger around 6 pm, rain started lashing the districts. This caused power supply disruption at many places including Vedharanyam and Thiruthuraipoondi late in the evening. Fishermen in the district did not venture into the sea and thousands of mechanized and country boats have been remaining stationed at the harbour since Tuesday. Tiruvarur district collector L Nirmalraj asked people to utilise the shelters and contact toll-free number 1077 or landlines 04366-226040, 226050, 226080 and 226090 in the event of an emergency. The weather in Trichy, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts remained sunny till 2 pm after which the skies turned cloudy and it rained mildly around 7 pm.

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