Five days after Cyclone Vardah hit the coast of Chennai, villagers living near Pulicat, about 50kms from the city continue to reel from the disaster.

Since Monday, people living in five villages in Thangal Perumkulam panchayat have not had drinking water.

Around 40,000 people living in the villages of Santhankuppam, Korakuppam, Karungali, Thangal and Idankulam are struggling to return to normalcy after the natural disaster.

Mahendran, a 32-year-old fisherman said, “We did not have any drinking water for five days and there was not even food. Many of the houses were also damaged in the cyclone.”

He alleged that the government did not come to their aid immediately. “None of the government officials visited our villages or provided us with food or water in the last five days. Despite many minsters being camped at Thangal Perumkulam panchayat, none of the arrangements were made,” he said.

On Saturday morning, relief came at last for the villages with water tankers being sent by the state government.

But Cyclone Vardah, which saw winds gusting up to 140kmph, did not spare their livelihoods either.

With fishing and agriculture being the main source of living for villagers living near Pulicat lake, the cyclone damaged boats and destroyed their crop.