Cyclone Fengal made landfall on November 30, unleashing relentless rainfall across several districts in Tamil Nadu and resulting in significant flooding, particularly in Cuddalore. Disaster response teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), are actively utilizing boats to rescue residents stranded by the rising waters. Under the leadership of District Collector Balaraman, the NDRF is coordinating these efforts with local authorities.
The Tamil Nadu Disaster Rescue team is also engaged in clearing roadways, including the removal of a fallen tree from the national highway in Chinna Gangankuppam, a border area between Cuddalore and Puducherry, using a JCB machine.
Puducherry has been severely impacted by torrential rains
Puducherry has been severely impacted by the torrential rains associated with Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall that night. The heavy downpours have disrupted normal life across the union territory, with visuals showing vehicles partially submerged on the streets. The region is currently experiencing a flood-like situation, prompting the Indian Army to launch rescue operations. Since 6:15 AM on December 1, over 100 people have been evacuated.
Chennai Garrison Battalion of the Indian Army was mobilized early Sunday
The Chennai Garrison Battalion of the Indian Army was mobilized early Sunday morning to assist in the rescue efforts in flood-affected areas of Puducherry. Responding to a request from the Puducherry District Collector, a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) team, consisting of one officer, six junior commissioned officers, and 62 other ranks, was swiftly deployed. The team departed from Chennai at 2 AM, covering 160 kilometers to reach Puducherry by 5:30 AM. Upon arrival, Major Ajay Sangwan briefed the team on the critical situation in Krishna Nagar, where water levels had risen to nearly five feet, inundating around 500 homes. Rescue operations began at 6:15 AM, successfully evacuating over 100 individuals in the first two hours.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Cyclone Fengal made landfall between 10:30 PM and 11:30 PM IST, with wind speeds reaching 70-80 km/h and gusts up to 90 km/h. As of 5:30 AM, the cyclone remained stationary approximately 120 kilometers south-southwest of Chennai and is expected to slowly move westward, likely weakening into a deep depression over north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry within the next six hours. A red alert has been issued for northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and parts of southern Andhra Pradesh.
Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy reported that the territory received 50 centimeters of rainfall overnight, leading to extensive flooding. He stated, “I am currently inspecting the flood-affected areas. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to evacuate those stranded in the floodwaters.”
The heavy rainfall brought by Cyclone Fengal resulted in record precipitation, with Puducherry recording 48.4 centimeters of rain over a 24-hour period until 8:30 AM on December 1, marking the highest cumulative rainfall in the last 30 years.
Despite the adverse weather conditions, Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train services resumed normal operations across all suburban districts on December 1, following disruptions caused by the cyclone. The Regional Meteorological Centre has issued a forecast predicting “isolated heavy to very heavy” rainfall for Chennai on Sunday, with high tides and rough sea conditions observed along the coast.
Earlier, operations at Chennai airport were halted on Saturday due to strong winds and heavy rains, leading to numerous flight cancellations and affecting hundreds of passengers. As the situation continues to develop, rescue and recovery efforts remain a top priority for local authorities and disaster response teams.
