Cyclone Fengal: 3 Dead in Chennai, Army Assists Rescue in Flooded Puducherry

Cyclone Fengal: Cyclone Fengal, preparing for landfall along the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast on the eve of Saturday, was heavy rain and gusty winds with inundation in various sectors including Chennai and that of Puducherry. Intense weather conditions ended up killing three people in Chennai who were electrocuted in different incidents due to the rain.

The effects of the cyclone were felt in all regions, and Puducherry was receiving 30 years of rainfall. The place measured almost 46 cm of rain, beating by 25 cm over the previous record of 21 cm held on October 31, 2004. Other record states included 23 cm from Cuddalore, while Chennai evidenced unequal amounts of rain-14 cm at the airport and Meenambakkam, while Nungambakkam accumulated 11 cm and Vellore 10 cm.

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The cyclone has been nearly static over northeast Tamil Nadu and coastal Puducherry and according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is set to weaken and develop into a severe depression. With that, all forms of transport came to a standstill with widespread interruptions. Bus, train, and flight services were greatly affected. A 16-hour airport closure resulted from flooding of runways and a taxiway because of continuous downpour. Twenty-four domestic flights were canceled, and 26 experienced delays in international operations.

Rescue efforts continue for the majority in affected, flood-identified locales in Puducherry. The Indian Army has been brought in to assist with the evacuation of residents cut off from their communities. More than 100 of these people were rescued from areas in Krishnanagar, one of which was reported as had up to five feet of water. Swift rescue operations were conducted after the army arrived from Chennai late on Saturday night.

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M.K. Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin have kept a very close eye over the situation with video conferencing to the district collectors and spot inspections. The state has started mobilizing resources for flood relief operations, including 1,700 motor pumps deployed to pump out water from flooded localities, including six subway sections temporarily closed because of rain.

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According to reports, there has been no immediate major damage in both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry due to the heavy rains and flooding. Minister KKSSR Ramachandran reassured the public that the cyclone's effect was much less than has been speculated. However, the state and Union Territory governments are currently assessing it and providing shelters for displaced persons.

In Puducherry, the District Collector declared until further notice that private schools and colleges would serve as relief shelters. The Government also sent precautionary SMS alerts to 12 lakh residents to advise on keeping an eye for the cyclone's landfall.

Now that the cyclone is weakening, authorities are actively trying to restore normalcy in the affected areas. The public must be updated through official channels and take necessary precautions as the weather system moves through inland areas.

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