Cyclone Fengal: Three fatalities reported due to rain-related incidents in Chennai
Click to start listening
Chennai, Dec 1 (NationPress) Three individuals tragically lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Chennai after Cyclone Fengal made landfall close to Puducherry, leading to intense rainfall and strong winds across the coastal regions of north Tamil Nadu.
The cyclone crossed the coastline on Saturday night. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has issued a red alert for Sunday, predicting rainfall over Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, and Puducherry.
Other districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Salem, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, and the Karaikal region, are also projected to experience heavy showers.
The rainfall led to flooding in vulnerable areas of Chennai, disrupted flight operations, and impacted EMU train services.
The RMC indicated that the cyclone’s spiral bands would keep delivering heavy rainfall through Sunday (December 1). However, the intensity of the rain will depend on cloud cover. Central areas in Chennai, such as Korattur, Koyambedu, Virugambakkam, Nungambakkam, T. Nagar, and Alwarpet, experienced inundation.
Power outages were reported in several neighborhoods on Saturday evening. S. Balachandran, director of the RMC, described Cyclone Fengal as a dynamic storm with fluctuating speeds.
Officials noted that the rainfall helped elevate water levels in significant reservoirs, as intermittent downpours prevented severe flooding.
Rainfall measurements ranged from 10 cm to 13 cm across various weather stations. In Chennai, the highest recorded rainfall was 13.2 cm at Jaya Engineering College, followed by Meenambakkam at 11.4 cm and Nungambakkam at 10.4 cm. Puducherry, where the cyclone made landfall, recorded 10.4 cm, while Mailam in Villupuram registered 13.6 cm.
Squally winds were observed, with speeds ranging from 55 km/h to 65 km/h and gusts reaching up to 75 km/h over the northern Tamil Nadu coast. Winds of 35 km/h to 45 km/h with gusts up to 55 km/h occurred over the southern Tamil Nadu coast, the Comorin area, and the Gulf of Mannar.
Windy conditions are anticipated to persist until December 3, prompting authorities to caution fishermen against going out to sea.
The Puducherry administration sent SMS alerts to nearly 12 lakh residents, urging them to remain vigilant. Chief Minister N. Rangasamy visited rain-affected areas to assess disaster management efforts, including the establishment of relief centers for evacuees from low-lying areas.
The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) deployed three disaster relief teams in Chennai and 13 teams across other affected districts.
The Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Department set up 2,229 relief centers. So far, 471 individuals from 164 families have been moved to relief camps in the Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. Authorities are ready for additional evacuations if necessary. In a public safety announcement, the government recommended that IT companies allow employees to work from home. Residents have been strongly urged to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary.
Parks and beaches in Chennai and surrounding areas have been closed, with warnings against visiting recreational facilities. Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Mayor R. Priya assured residents of the civic body's preparedness to manage heavy rainfall.
Warnings were also issued against parking vehicles under trees during the rainfall. Subways, including RBI Subway, Sundaram Point, Rangarajapuram, Palavanthangal, and Gengu Reddy subways, were shut down due to waterlogging.
