Impact of Thane Cyclone on Tree Damage in Pondicherry University Campus, Puducherry, India

The heavy wind along with high rainfall of the catastrophic windstorm “Thane” cyclone cause defoliation, uprooting and snapping of stems and branches of trees in Pondicherry University Campus, Puducherry. A total of 1181 (20%) trees (>3.2 cm DBH) in Pondicherry University Campus were uprooted due to the Thane cyclone. Tree mortality (uprooted) and damage (broken) were observed more in Acacia auriculiformis than other species in response to Thane cyclone in Pondicherry University campus. In the present study, wood density did not show any significant relationship between the damage, mortality and resistance (standing with defoliation and minor branch fall). Acacia auriculiformis was more susceptible to Thane cyclone followed by Tectona grandis. However, Azadirachta indica and Mangifera indica were observed more resistance to thane cyclone. The greater uprooting in introduced plantation species such as Acacia auriculiformis and Tectona grandis was higher than native species Azadirachta indica and Mangifera indica which could be attributed to spread their roots in the surface soil and they do not penetrate deeper into the soil .