By IANS
Chennai : Huge waves and high tide with surging seawaters along Chennai’s coastline due to a severe cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal Thursday led to a panic in the city, reminding many of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.
The tidal waves reached up to a height of three metres, as coastal communities in Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and north Chennai in Tamil Nadu prepared to take cover.
As many as 14 fishing villages in Ennore, Tiruvottiyur, Kasimedu and Ernavur areas were evacuated. Ten huts at Appar Nagar, a fishing hamlet at Tiruvottiyur in north Chennai, were washed away and seawater entered about 200 houses.
While fishing boats and fishing equipment on beaches were damaged in many places, there was no report of injuries.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture out fishing Thursday and Friday.
The weather office here said the high tidal waves were due to the severe cyclonic storm that had formed over the Bay of Bengal.
It said high tidal waves could continue to hit the Tamil Nadu coast till Friday morning.