Sun Dec 01 01:20:00 UTC 2024: ## Cyclone Fengal Weakens After Lashing Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
**Chennai, India –** Cyclone Fengal made landfall near Puducherry on Saturday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The cyclone, which weakened into a deep depression within six hours of landfall, caused widespread disruption, flooding, and power outages.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued heavy rainfall warnings for coastal areas before the cyclone’s arrival. Chennai and surrounding districts, along with Puducherry, experienced torrential downpour throughout Saturday, impacting public transport, including buses, trains, and flights. Chennai airport was shut for 16 hours but reopened Sunday at 4 am.
The Indian Army was deployed to assist with rescue operations in Puducherry, where approximately 500 people were stranded in their homes in the Krishna Nagar area due to rising floodwaters reaching approximately five feet in some places. Over 100 people were rescued from flooded areas.
While no major damage has been immediately reported, the storm caused significant flooding in Chennai, with 334 locations reporting waterlogging. The Greater Chennai Corporation distributed food to around 232,000 people and sheltered approximately 200 people in eight relief camps. Three deaths were reported due to electrocution in separate rain-related incidents. The state government mobilized 17,000 motor pumps to clear waterlogged areas. Despite the heavy rain, essential services such as milk supply and sanitation continued in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and his deputy, Udayanidhi Stalin, oversaw preparations and conducted on-site inspections. The Chief Minister held a virtual meeting with district collectors to assess the situation. Udayanidhi Stalin reported that power supply was disrupted in most areas due to strong winds but was gradually being restored. Eighteen disaster relief teams were deployed to vulnerable areas.
Puducherry authorities also reported no immediate major damage, having previously sent SMS alerts to 1.2 million residents warning them of the approaching cyclone. All government and private colleges and private schools in Puducherry were designated as relief camp sites. The IMD expects the remnants of Cyclone Fengal to dissipate completely by Sunday evening. The total rainfall recorded includes 11.4 cm in Chennai and 39 cm in Puducherry. At Chennai airport, 55 flights were canceled, and 19 were diverted.
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