Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), 1 Dec: Tamil Nadu is experiencing continuous rainfall after Cyclone Fengal made landfall on November 30. Residential areas in Cuddalore district have been severely flooded, prompting disaster response teams to use boats for rescue operations.
A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), led by District Collector Balaraman, is carrying out evacuations with the help of boats. The Tamil Nadu Disaster Rescue team also cleared a tree that had fallen on the national highway in Chinna Gangankuppam, a border area between Cuddalore and Puducherry, using a JCB machine.
Meanwhile, Indian Army personnel from the Chennai Garrison Battalion, operating under the Dakshin Bharat Area, were mobilized early on Sunday to assist with rescue efforts in Puducherry. A Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) team, consisting of one officer, six junior commissioned officers, and 62 other ranks, was deployed at 2 am. The team traveled 160 kilometers overnight and arrived in Puducherry around 5:30 am.
Upon reaching the flood-affected Krishna Nagar area, where water levels had risen to nearly five feet, leaving around 500 houses stranded, the Indian Army began evacuating residents at 6:15 am, rescuing over 100 people in the first two hours.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that Cyclone Fengal had made landfall on the coasts of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu and remained stationary for six hours, nearly 30 kilometers north of Cuddalore and 40 kilometers east of Villupuram. As of 5:30 am, the cyclone had not moved and was positioned 120 kilometers south-southwest of Chennai. The IMD forecasted that the cyclone would move westward slowly, 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 north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and southern Andhra Pradesh.
Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy reported that the city had received 50 cm of rainfall overnight, resulting in severe flooding. He assured that rescue teams were working to evacuate stranded residents. “Puducherry has received 50 cm of rainfall, leading to severe flooding. I am inspecting the affected areas, and rescue teams are working tirelessly to evacuate those stuck in the floodwaters,” said Rangasamy.
Cyclone Fengal’s heavy rainfall caused Puducherry to record 48.4 cm of rain over a 24-hour period until 8:30 am on December 1, marking the highest 24-hour rainfall in the region in the past 30 years.
In the meantime, Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train services in Chennai and surrounding suburban districts resumed normal operations on December 1 after being severely disrupted by the heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Fengal. Public Relations Officer A Elumalai from Chennai Division confirmed that the train services had started functioning again.
Cyclone Fengal had caused significant disruption in Chennai and northern Tamil Nadu, with flooding and weather-related issues continuing to impact daily life.