Cyclone Fengal weakens; schools, colleges shut in Puducherry

Puducherry/Chennai: Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall near Puducherry on November 30, weakened into a deep depression on Sunday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Torrential rains under its influence, however, caused widespread flooding, prompting the Army to step in for rescue operations in affected areas, reported PTI.

Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam said in a release that all schools and colleges remained closed on Monday in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions.

Puducherry bore the brunt of the cyclone, receiving an unprecedented 46 cm of rainfall, surpassing its previous record of 21 cm in 2004. The heavy downpour inundated residential areas beyond the boulevard limits, uprooted trees, and led to power outages in most localities since Saturday night. The Army rescued around 200 people, including from Krishna Nagar, using boats to navigate waterlogged streets. Many residents remained trapped in their homes, with vehicles partially submerged and rainwater entering several houses.

Puducherry CM Rangasamy has said that a detailed report was being prepared assessing the extent of damage and will be sent to the Centre seeking relief.

Voluntary organisations, including the Pondicherry Heritage Round Table 167, assisted government efforts by providing food to those in relief camps.

In neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Villupuram district was severely impacted, with Chief Minister M K Stalin describing the rainfall as "unprecedented." Mailam recorded 49 cm of rainfall, followed by Nemmeli (46 cm) and Vanur (41 cm). Rescue and relief operations were intensified, with 12 teams from the National and State Disaster Response Forces deployed. State ministers K Ponmudy, S S Sivasankaran, and V Senthil Balaji, along with a team of IAS officials, were tasked with overseeing efforts in the district.

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin was dispatched to monitor relief activities in Villupuram and nearby Cuddalore, which also experienced heavy rains. Stalin assured that the state government would request the Centre to assess the damage in Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Chengelpet districts. Relief measures and crop damage assessments will be undertaken once the rains subside.

In Chennai, where airport operations resumed past midnight on Sunday, initial delays and cancellations gave way to normalcy later in the day. The city, despite heavy rains, avoided significant flooding due to precautionary measures, including desilting and the use of over 1,700 standby motor pumps. Of the 22 subways in the city, 21 remained operational, with waterlogged areas in North Chennai cleared using large motors.

The state government accommodated over 1,000 people in 32 relief camps in Chennai, distributing 9.1 lakh food packets and providing meals through Amma canteens to over 1 lakh individuals. Chief Minister Stalin, after reviewing the rain situation, highlighted the government's preparedness and assured continuous monitoring to address the challenges posed by the cyclone and heavy rains.