Puducherry (India), December 2: Cyclone Fengal, which recently made landfall, has caused widespread devastation in the coastal regions of north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, bringing extremely heavy rainfall. The storm has led to severe flooding, particularly in areas near the Sankaraparani River. In NR Nagar, over 200 homes have been inundated, leaving residents stranded. The Indian Army, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), is actively engaged in rescue operations.
Rescue teams are working tirelessly to save those trapped in their homes due to the floods. The Army has deployed boats to navigate the submerged streets of Puducherry and evacuate residents. Local authorities, including the District Collector and the Public Works Department Minister, are also on the ground, assessing the damage and coordinating relief efforts.
On Sunday, the Indian Army carried out several rescue missions across flood-hit areas in the city, including Krishna Nagar, Kuber Nagar, and Jiva Nagar. These operations successfully evacuated hundreds of residents, with over 200 people rescued from the flooded areas of Krishna Nagar and Kuber Nagar alone. By Sunday afternoon, efforts were ongoing in Jiva Nagar, with 30 soldiers stationed to assist stranded residents.
The Indian Army’s Chennai Garrison Battalion was mobilized early Sunday morning to support rescue operations in Puducherry. A Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) team, consisting of one officer, six junior commissioned officers, and 62 other ranks, was dispatched at around 2 am. The team covered a distance of 160 kilometers overnight and arrived in Puducherry by 5:30 am. Upon reaching, the team, led by Major Ajay Sangwan, was briefed on the critical flooding situation in Krishna Nagar, where water levels had risen to nearly five feet, trapping residents in approximately 500 homes.
The Army’s rescue operations began at 6:15 am, successfully evacuating over 100 individuals within the first two hours. The ongoing efforts are focusing on evacuating vulnerable people from other affected areas.
Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy confirmed that the city had received 50 centimeters of rainfall overnight, leading to the widespread flooding. Rescue teams continue to work relentlessly to evacuate those stranded and provide aid to the affected areas.