Cyclone Fengal weakens, heavy rainfall continues in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall on Saturday, has caused extensive flooding and disruption across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The cyclone has weakened into a depression, moving west-northwestward at a speed of 7 km/h and is expected to dissipate into a well-marked low-pressure area over north interior Tamil Nadu, the Indian Meteorological Department said.

Cyclone’s Current Status

As of 11:30 PM on December 1, the depression was centered near latitude 12.2°N and longitude 79.2°E, approximately 40 km northwest of Villupuram, 70 km west-northwest of Puducherry, 80 km northwest of Cuddalore, and 140 km southwest of Chennai. The IMD anticipates the system will emerge over the southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea off the north Kerala-Karnataka coasts by December 3. The Karaikal Doppler Weather Radar is closely monitoring the system.

Record Rainfall in Puducherry

Puducherry has experienced unprecedented rainfall, recording 48.6 cm in the last 24 hours. Lieutenant Governor Kailashnathan said, “This has been one of the highest rainfalls in Puducherry. In the last 24 hours, we recorded 48.6 cm of rainfall. The drainage infrastructure is not capable of draining such a large quantity of downpour in a day. Electric substations have been submerged, and we had to shut down the power supply. A lot of trees have fallen, many on electric lines, and those lines need to be restored. By tonight, all substations will be re-energized.”

Impact Across Tamil Nadu

Heavy rains have been lashing Tamil Nadu since Saturday morning, with Cuddalore witnessing severe flooding. A red alert was issued for Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, and Puducherry, while other districts like Chennai, Chengalpattu, Ranipet, Dharmapuri, Salem, and parts of the Karaikal region also braced for heavy showers.

The incessant rain caused extensive flooding in low-lying areas of Chennai, particularly in Korattur, Koyambedu, Virugambakkam, Nungambakkam, T. Nagar, and Alwarpet. The disruption led to flight operations at Chennai International Airport and local EMU train services. Airport operations resumed on Sunday morning after the cyclone subsided.

Kerala on High Alert

Kerala has also been impacted by the remnants of Cyclone Fengal. The IMD has issued a red alert for Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, and Kannur, warning of extremely heavy rainfall. An orange alert is in place for Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, and Thrissur, while a yellow alert covers Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Palakkad, and northern districts.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has cautioned residents about potential waterlogging and traffic disruptions.

Schools and Colleges Closed

All educational institutions in Wayanad, including anganwadis and professional colleges, will remain closed on Monday, with the exception of Model Residential Schools.

Authorities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have also declared holidays for schools and colleges in affected districts. Educational institutions in Villupuram, Cuddalore, Vellore, and Ranipet will also remain closed on Monday