Cyclone Fengal: Three die in rain-related incidents in Chennai

Chennai: Three people died in rain-related incidents in Chennai after Cyclone Fengal crossed the coast near Puducherry, triggering heavy rainfall and strong winds across coastal districts in north Tamil Nadu.

The cyclone crossed the coast on Saturday night. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has issued a red alert for Sunday, forecasting rainfall over Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, and Puducherry.

Other districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Salem, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, and the Karaikal region, are also expected to receive heavy showers.

The rain caused flooding in low-lying areas of Chennai, disrupted flights, and affected EMU train services.

The RMC stated that the cyclone’s spiral bands would result in heavy rainfall continuing through Sunday (December 1). However, the rain intensity depends on cloud cover. Central Chennai areas, including Korattur, Koyambedu, Virugambakkam, Nungambakkam, T. Nagar, and Alwarpet, were inundated.

The power supply was disrupted in several neighbourhoods during the Saturday evening. S. Balachandran, director of the RMC, described Cyclone Fengal as a dynamic storm with constantly changing speeds.

Officials noted that the rainfall boosted water levels in key reservoirs, as intermittent spells prevented excessive flooding.

Rainfall ranged from 10 cm to 13 cm across weather stations. In Chennai, the highest rainfall of 13.2 cm was recorded at Jaya Engineering College, followed by Meenambakkam with 11.4 cm and Nungambakkam with 10.4 cm. Puducherry, where the cyclone made landfall, recorded 10.4 cm, while Mailam station in Villupuram recorded 13.6 cm.

Squally winds, with speeds of 55 km/h to 65 km/h and gusts up to 75 km/h, persisted over the north Tamil Nadu coast. Winds of 35 km/h to 45 km/h, gusting up to 55 km/h, were observed over the south Tamil Nadu coast, the Comorin area, and the Gulf of Mannar.

Windy conditions are expected to continue until December 3, prompting authorities to advise fishermen against venturing into the sea.

The Puducherry administration sent SMS alerts to nearly 12 lakh residents, urging vigilance. Chief Minister N. Rangasamy inspected rain-affected areas and reviewed disaster management measures, including the setup of relief centres for evacuees from low-lying regions.

The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) deployed three disaster relief teams in Chennai and 13 teams across other impacted districts.

The Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Department established 2,229 relief centres. So far, 471 individuals from 164 families have been relocated to relief camps in the Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. Authorities are prepared for further evacuations if necessary. In a public safety advisory, the government urged IT companies to permit employees to work from home. Residents were strongly advised to stay indoors unless necessary.

Parks and beaches in Chennai and neighbouring districts have been closed, with warnings issued against visiting recreational spots. Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Mayor R. Priya assured residents that the civic body is fully prepared to handle heavy rains.

Warnings were also issued against parking vehicles under trees during the rainfall. Subways, including the RBI Subway, Sundaram Point, Rangarajapuram, Palavanthangal, and Gengu Reddy subways, were closed due to waterlogging.