CHENNAI/PUDUCHERRY, Nov 30: Intense rainfall lashed various areas of northern Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Saturday as Cyclone ‘Fengal’ made its impact felt, disrupting daily life and necessitating evacuations.
The torrential rains, which began as sporadic showers in coastal regions on the evening of November 29, escalated into a continuous downpour, resulting in flooding in multiple locations.
Chennai airport halted operations from 12.30 pm until 7 pm. In Puducherry, residents in flood-prone areas were evacuated, as reported by District Collector A Kulothungan to PTI.
The administration in the union territory issued SMS alerts to about 1.2 million residents, advising them to stay alert due to ‘Fengal’ predicted to make landfall near the UT later in the day.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin assessed the situation at the State Emergency Operations Centre alongside senior officials, subsequently informing the media that all necessary precautions were in place, including relief camps for vulnerable communities. Food provisions were also being distributed.
Additionally, he evaluated the operations at a pumping station.
Many regions of the city experienced flooding, and several trees were uprooted. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) reported that over 22,000 workers, including engineers and sanitation staff, were engaged in relief efforts, utilizing a total of 1,686 motor pumps of varying capacities, including 25-hp and 100-hp units. Furthermore, 484 tractor-mounted heavy-duty pumps and 137 pumps with a 100-hp capacity were deployed.
The GCC stated that urgent measures were being taken to alleviate waterlogging in 134 locations. Out of nine fallen trees, five have been removed. Traffic flow remained uninterrupted in 21 of the 22 subways, although the Ganesapuram subway was closed for railway bridge work.
Major reservoirs supplying drinking water to the city, such as Chembarmbakkam and Poondi, experienced significant inflow.
Residents in low-lying Madipakkam moved their vehicles to both sides of the nearby Velachery flyover, and others in similar vulnerable areas followed suit. The streets were largely empty, with civic workers, police, and emergency personnel on hand to provide rain-related assistance.
State-operated transport services ran on a limited schedule in Chennai and surrounding areas. Train services in all suburban sectors within the Chennai division continued at reduced frequencies, as railway officials noted. Express and superfast train services faced some delays but were largely unaffected.
Due to high winds reaching speeds of 65-73 km/h, suburban services between Chennai Beach and Velachery in the MRTS Section were suspended beginning at 12.15 pm, as announced by officials.
Chennai Metro Rail confirmed its operations were smooth and provided information to the public about parking areas in stations vulnerable to flooding.
Airport operations were suspended from 12.30 pm until 7 pm, impacting flight schedules for both domestic and international services. Some flights were redirected to Bengaluru and Tiruchirappalli, with at least 18 cancellations and 12 delays reported.
As the sea conditions remained dangerous, police instituted barricades at popular beaches such as Marina and Mamallapuram. Milk supplies by state-run Aavin remained unaffected, and electricity supply continued normally in many regions.
The government had already labeled November 30 a holiday for schools and requested that IT companies allow employees to work from home.
In Puducherry, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Arakonam was deployed for relief and recovery efforts.
Collector Kulothungan stated that cyclone Fengal was anticipated to strike the coast by evening. Control rooms have been established at the collectorate and within relevant departments.
Access to the entire beach road and various tourist attractions has been restricted to minimize public movement, and educational institutions, including schools and colleges, remained closed today.
