NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, DEC 1
Three people were electrocuted in separate rain-related incidents in Chennai as Cycone Fengal made a landfall along the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast on Saturday evening, triggering heavy rainfall and flooding several parts of the city. However, no immediate reports of major damage were reported in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, which saw 44 cm of rain, the highest in 30 years.
#FloodReliefOperations#HADR#NationBuilding#IndianArmy column is carrying out relief and rescue operations to provide succour to those affected by floods due to #CycloneFengal at Puducherry. More than 100 civilians have been rescued. Efforts to rescue remaining affected people… https://t.co/0bY5DEAZG5 pic.twitter.com/hJA1VXKmhA
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) December 1, 2024
In Puducherry, there were no immediate reports of any major damage, officials said. Earlier, the Union Territory’s administration had sent SMS to 12 lakh residents, cautioning them to remain vigilant ahead of Fengal’s landfall.
The IMD said Puducherry will face extremely heavy rainfall today, followed by moderate rains on Monday.
Cyclone Fengal remained practically stationary during the past six hours and it was likely to move westwards very slowly and weaken gradually into a deep depression in the next six hours, the IMD said. Puducherry District Collector has declared all private schools, and government and private colleges as relief shelters until further orders. The management of these institutions has been instructed to open their facilities immediately.
Puducherry recorded its highest rainfall of 46 cm in the last 30 years. This was the highest rainfall in Puducherry since the Union Territory had received 21 cm of rainfall on October 31, 2004, data showed. Other places like Cuddalore saw 23 cm of rain while 14 cm of rain was recorded in Chennai airport, 14 cm in Yercaud, 11 cm in Chennai (Meenambakkam), 10 cm in Chennai (Nungambakkam), 11 cm in Vellore, 8 cm in Tirupattur and 5 cm each in Dharmapuri and Salem, respectively.
Several parts of Tamil Nadu, such as Kallakurichi, Tiruvallur, are facing heavy rainfall along with gusty winds. The IMD has also warned of flash floods in suburban areas.
The Chennai airport, which was shut for 16 hours due to the cyclone, reopened at 4 am on Sunday, but many flights suffered cancellations and delays.
Buses in Villupuram are currently operating out of the bus stand after the area got completely flooded due to heavy rainfall overnight.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his deputy Udhayanidhi Stalin reviewed the action plan being implemented and they made spot inspections. MK Stalin held a virtual meet with district collectors and top civic officials of northern districts to assess the ground situation and spoke to inmates of a relief camp in Chengelpet district.
Udhayanidhi Stalin also said that work was on to clear the water stagnation in six subways, which were temporarily closed due to torrential rainfall triggered by the cyclone. He also said that 1,700 motor pumps were being used to clear waterlogging on a war footing in about 334 locations.
Army troops of the Chennai Garrison Battalion pressed into rescue operation in Pondy
Indian Army troops of the Chennai Garrison Battalion under the Dakshin Bharat Area were requisitioned by the District Collector, Puducherry in the early hours of the morning of Sunday at around 0100 hr for rescue efforts in flooded areas. A Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) column comprising 01 Officer, 06 Junior Commissioned Officers and 62 Other Ranks was pressed into action immediately and marched from Chennai for Puducherry at 0200 hrs covering a distance of 160 kms overnight. On arrival in Puducherry at around 0530hrs, Maj Ajay Sangwan, the Column Commander was briefed on the prevailing situation. The Column was earmarked to rescue stranded civilians from approximately 500 houses in the Krishnanagar region of Puducherry where water levels reached approximately 5ft in some localities. Rescue work started with effect from 0615hrs and over 100 people have been rescued in the last two hours.
