Cyclone Fengal Triggers Yellow Alert Across 15 Districts in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, Dec 3 (NationPress) The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has announced a yellow alert for 15 districts in Tamil Nadu, with expectations of significant rainfall reaching up to 11 cm in the interior and Western Ghat areas, particularly in Nilgiris, Krishnagiri, Tiruppur, Erode, Theni, and Madurai.
Cyclone Fengal, which is advancing slowly towards the west, has already caused substantial rainfall across various regions of Tamil Nadu. Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district reported an astonishing 50 cm of rain within the 24 hours leading up to 8.30 a.m. on Monday.
During the weekend, numerous areas were heavily impacted by rain, including Kedar (42 cm), Soorapattu (38 cm), Mundiyampakkam (32 cm), Villupuram town (35 cm), and Koliyanur (32 cm) in Villupuram district; Harur (33 cm) in Dharmapuri district; and Thirupalapandal (32 cm) and Madampoondi (31 cm) in Kallakurichi district.
The RMC indicated that the current weather phenomenon, which is now a well-defined low-pressure area over north-interior Tamil Nadu, is anticipated to weaken further and transition into the Arabian Sea on Tuesday (December 3, 2024).
S. Balachandran, Additional Director General of Meteorology in Chennai, elaborated that Cyclone Fengal represents a multifaceted weather system with various interactions occurring at different intensity stages over the ocean. He remarked that the cyclone's sluggish pace and gradual diminishing have led to record rainfall levels in the districts it affected. Unlike other systems, this cyclone maintained a stationary position for an unusually extended period.
He also pointed out that several weather stations documenting significant rainfall were recently integrated into the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) network.
The RMC mentioned that rainfall activity across Tamil Nadu is projected to be confined to isolated locales starting Thursday.
Since October 1, Tamil Nadu has witnessed nearly 43 cm of rainfall this season, surpassing the average of 36 cm. The intense downpour from Cyclone Fengal over the preceding two days has notably mitigated rainfall deficits across various districts.
As of Monday, Villupuram and Krishnagiri districts have reported seasonal rainfall surpluses of 74 percent and 78 percent, respectively.