Cyclone Fengal, which crossed the coast near Puducherry on Saturday (November 30, 2024) night, triggered heavy rainfall and strong winds over coastal districts in north Tamil Nadu, flooding low-lying areas and disrupting flights and EMU train services in Chennai. Three people died in rain-related incidents in Chennai.
This is the second cyclone to develop over the Bay of Bengal this season. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) at Chennai said that the cyclone’s advance spiral bands had crossed the coast by 7 p.m. with landfall expected to take three or four hours, with wind speeds gusting up to 90 km per hour. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue through Sunday (December 1, 2024), though rain intensity depends on cloud cover.
Also Read | Cyclone Fengal updates on November 30, 2024
The rain left areas in central Chennai, including Korattur, Koyambedu, Virugambakkam, Nungambakkam, T. Nagar and Alwarpet, inundated. Chennai airport was shut down and 226 flights were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. Another 20 flights due to arrive in Chennai were diverted to other airports, including as far away as Guwahati. The Airports Authority of India said the airport would remain closed till 4 a.m. on Sunday (December 1, 2024).
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Normal life was thrown out of gear in Puducherry. According to the weather monitoring station, the Union Territory recorded around 10 cm of rainfall from 8.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Though heavy waterlogging was not reported from any part of the town or suburban areas, a few roads such as the East Coast Road, 45 Feet Road and Bussy Street faced minor inundation. Power supply was disrupted in several areas in the evening.
In Pictures: As Cyclone Fengal intensifies in Tamil Nadu
Helpline numbers:
Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA): State helpline – 1070 | District helpline – 1077 | WhatsApp number – 9445869848
