Cyclone Fengal: Highest rainfall in Puducherry in 30 years; kills 2!

Heavy rainfall and strong winds were battering Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu after Cyclone Fengal made landfall along the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast on Saturday evening. The cyclone, pronounced as 'Fengal', had brought incessant rain to the city and its adjoining districts, causing widespread disruptions to public transport and daily life.

The cyclone caused a trail all over the city with its impact, as three different people were electrocuted in rain-related incidents. A cyclone forced the airport in Chennai to remain closed for 16 hours. Various flights were cancelled or saw delays as the airport resumed only at 4 am on Sunday.

The cyclone also caused widespread flooding in several parts of the city, with many areas receiving heavy rainfall. Puducherry recorded its highest rainfall of 46 cm in the last 30 years, while Chennai airport received 14 cm of rain. Other places like Cuddalore and Yercaud also received significant rainfall.

The authorities took measures to reduce the impact of the cyclone. All private schools, and government and private colleges were declared relief shelters until further orders by the Puducherry District Collector. The management of these institutions was asked to open their facilities immediately.

The cyclone stayed put over north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts and is likely to weaken into a deep depression in the next six hours, the India Meteorological Department said. The IMD further added that the cyclone is likely to move west-southwestwards very slowly and weaken gradually into a deep depression in the next six hours.

The disruption to public transport continued on Sunday, with most of the bus and train services being cancelled or delayed. Authorities called upon people to remain indoors and avoid travelling to areas where flooding had occurred.

Cyclone Fengal, overall, brought chaos and disruption to Chennai and its nearby districts, but the authorities took steps to mitigate the impact. The city will return to normalcy in the coming days as the cyclone weakens and the rain subsides.

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