Cyclone Nivar, which intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm before it hit the southern coast of India early Thursday, killed five people and uprooted hundreds of trees and power lines in the region.
But for the residents of Andhra Pradesh, it was not just bad things: the aftermath of Cyclone Nivar resulted in what can only be described as a ‘gold rush’.
Locals from Udappa, a town near the coast, rushed to the beach in eastern Godavari to collect gold on Saturday, which is believed to have washed ashore in the area after high tide due to Cyclone Nivar, informs. India today.
Local fishermen had initially found shiny gold filings along with small precious metal beads on the beach. When news of the gold spread, hundreds of people raced to Uppada braving the cyclonic rain to try their luck. Some locals said The times of India that about 50 people obtained gold worth about 3,500 rupees each.
Photos of the gold appeared on social media.
Local legends said that ancient temples submerged under the sea over time and eroded, and the ruins of those were washed ashore at high tide after the arrival of Cyclone Nivar.
“It is customary in these parts to bury small beads or particles of gold during the ceremony of laying the foundations of houses and temples. As old buildings collapsed under the impact of sea erosion, the gold particles must have been transported to the sea along with the rubble. Cyclone Nivar has revolutionized the sea. In the process, some of the gold particles must have landed on the beach from the seabed, ”said local assistant deputy inspector Lovu Raju. TOI.
Raju also said Hindustan times that some houses and a couple of old temples on the coast had been razed during the heavy rains of the last month and some of them may have lost small pieces of gold.
Revenue officials will visit the village for a first-hand assessment soon.
After making landfall, Nivar weakened into a cyclonic storm and further into a deep depression in the afternoon. Union Interior Minister Amit Shah spoke with the top ministers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and assured them of all possible help from the Center.
The cyclone broke overhead power lines in some places, and Chennai residents also complained about internet outages. The slums of Chennai, including those in the suburbs of Irumbuliyur, Mudichur and Urapakkam, witnessed flooding and water entered the homes of many residents.
Rescue personnel transported cooked food to the people using inflatable boats. Residents of some of the affected areas moved to the homes of their relatives, while others continued to fight adversity. The airport, Metrorail and bus transport operations, which were suspended due to the cyclone, resumed for the day.
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