Amid the flooding in many districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry caused due to Cyclone Fengal, the Indian Army conducted multiple rescue operations on Sunday across several areas in the city.
The rescue operations were conducted in flood-hit areas in the Union Territory, including Krishna Nagar, Kuber Nagar, and Jiva Nagar. The operations successfully evacuated hundreds of residents from these inundated areas, saving over 200 lives in Krishna Nagar and Kuber Nagar alone.
On Sunday afternoon, the rescue efforts were ongoing in Jiva Nagar, with 30 soldiers deployed to help stranded people. Additionally, the evacuation operations in other vulnerable areas are also underway.
Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Sunday said that the city has received 50 centimetres of rainfall overnight which has led to flooding. Rescue teams are working to evacuate stranded people, he added.
“Puducherry has received 50 cm of rainfall, resulting in severe flooding. I am currently inspecting the flood-affected areas. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to evacuate those stranded in the floodwaters,” Chief Minister N Rangasamy told ANI.
Cyclone Fengal brought extremely heavy rainfall to Puducherry, with the Union Territory recording 48.4 centimetres of rain over 24 hours till 8:30 am on December 1. This marked the highest 24-hour cumulative rainfall in the last 30 years between years 1995 to 2024.
Indian Army troops from the Chennai Garrison Battalion, operating under the Dakshin Bharat Area, were mobilized in the early hours of Sunday to assist in rescue operations in flood-affected areas of Puducherry.
Requisitioned by the Puducherry District Collector around 1 am, a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) column consisting of one officer, six Junior commissioned officers and 62 other ranks was deployed swiftly. The team left Chennai at 2 am and covered a distance of 160 kilometres overnight, reaching Puducherry around 5:30 am.
The team led by Major Ajay Sangwan was briefed about the critical situation in the Krishna Nagar area upon reaching Puducherry. The water level in some localities of Krishna Nagar rose to nearly five feet, leaving residents of nearly 500 houses stranded. The efforts made by the Indian Army during its rescue operations started at 6:15 am, with over 100 individuals being evacuated in the first two hours.
Led by Mahor Ajay Sangwan, the team was briefed about the critical situation in the city and initiated the rescue operations in Krishna Nagar at 6:15 am, where water levels rose to nearly five feet, leaving residents of 500 houses stranded. Within the first two hours, over 100 individuals were being evacuated.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday visited the state emergency operation centre to carry out an inspection of the ongoing relief work. He appealed to the Union government to send a central team to inspect the situation and crop damage due to Cyclone Fengal.
The CM visited various locations in the Kolathur assembly constituency. Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran and other Disaster Management Department Secretaries accompanied him.
CM Stalin said that nearly 27,000 people have received food packets prepared by Amma canteens since Saturday. Of 23 subways in Chennai, nearly 21 have been cleared of water, he added.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Cyclone Fengal has remained stationary for the last six hours close to the union territory nearly 30 kilometres north of Cuddalore and 40 kms east of Villupuram.
The IMD also informed that as of 5:30 in the morning, the cyclone has not moved in the past six hours and remains stationary 120 kilometres south-southwest of Chennai.