Cyclone Fengal kills 3 in Chennai, Indian Army rescues over 100 in Puducherry

Three people were electrocuted in separate rain-related incidents in Chennai as Cyclone Fengal (pronounced as ‘Feinjal’) made 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, where the Indian Army rescued over 100 people from a flooded locality in the Union Territory. 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.

Since Saturday, incessant rain had been pounding Chennai, its nearby districts and Puducherry as the cyclone made landfall, impacting public transport, including bus, train and flight services, and people living in vulnerable areas were shifted to safe shelters by authorities.

The cyclone remained stationary over north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts and was expected to weaken into a deep depression, according to the IMD.

CYCLONE
Cyclone Fengal remained practically stationary during the past one hour and will gradually weaken into a deep depression during the next three 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.

Chennai (Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam weather stations) received 11.4 cm of rainfall, while Puducherry recorded its highest rainfall of 46 cm. This was the highest rainfall received by Puducherry since the Union Territory had received 21 cm of rainfall on October 31, 2004. Mailam in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district recorded 50 cm of rainfall during the period 8.30 am on Saturday and 5.30 am on Sunday.

The Chennai airport was shut on Saturday following the inundation of two runways and a taxiway after heavy rainfall pummelled Chennai due to the cyclone’s influence. Visuals from the airport showed people queuing in large numbers at the entry gates. As many as 24 domestic services were cancelled and 26 international flights, both arriving and departing, were delayed, officials said.

The Indian Army has rescued more than 100 people in flooded areas in Puducherry in the past two hours. A team comprising an officer, junior commissioned officers and 62 officers of other Ranks were pressed into action and went to Puducherry from Chennai late at night. On arrival in Puducherry, Maj Ajay Sangwan, the Column Commander was briefed on the prevailing situation.

The Army team was given the task to rescue stranded civilians from around 500 houses in the Krishnanagar region of Puducherry where water levels reached five feet in some localities. Rescue work began soon, after which the Army rescued over 100 people.

Tamil Nadu Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said there were no immediate reports of major damage in the aftermath of the cyclone and added that related details could be known possibly by Sunday. He also indicated the cyclone did not leave the kind of impact anticipated by the authorities.

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.

The Indian Army has rescued more than 100 people in flooded areas in Puducherry in the past two hours. A team comprising an officer, junior commissioned officers and 62 officers of other Ranks were pressed into action and went to Puducherry from Chennai late at night.

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.