In view of IMD alert regarding the cyclone “Vardah”, NDRF prepositioned its 19 teams i.e. (08 teams of 10 Bn NDRF, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, 08 teams of 04 Bn NDRF, Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu and 03 teams of 05 Bn NDRF, Pune, MH at the various places of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Pudduchery. In Andhra Pradesh, 08 teams of NDRF deployed w.e.f. 11.12.2016 to 13.12.2016 i.e. 01 team at Vishakhapatnam (RRC), 01 team at Ongole, 02 teams in distt- Chittoor and 04 teams in distt- Nellore. In Tamil Nadu 10 teams of NDRF deployed w.e.f. 11.12.2016 to 16.12.2016 i.e. 05 teams in Chennai, 03 teams in distt- Tiruvallur, 02 teams in Kanchipuram and in Puducherry 01 team of NDRF deployed w.e.f. 11.12.2016 to 12.12.2016.

This cyclonic storm crossed the eastern coast of India close to Chennai in the afternoon hours of 12 December, 2016 with the winds estimated at 65 mph (105 km/h) during landfall. The cyclone claimed several lives, uprooted trees in Chennai and its suburbs, and caused extensive damage to huts, road, supplies and power infrastructure.

During the deployment in Cyclone ‘Vardah’, NDRF responders rescued/evacuated 06 persons, retrieved 02 dead bodies, removed 2500 Nos. of fallen/uprooted trees and cleared the road of 214 Kms.