Cyclone Fengal landfalls close to Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast, heavy rainfall in coastal districts

CHENNAI: Cyclone Fengal, active over the Bay of Bengal, has reached close to the coasts of northern Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Due to its effect, heavy rains are occurring in the coastal districts of northern Tamil Nadu on Saturday.

Regional Meteorological Center Director S Balachandran said on Saturday that the coastal districts of northern Tamil Nadu receive heavy to very heavy rains till Sunday.

To deal with cyclone, the state government has deployed several teams of NDRF and SDRF in Chengalpattu and Villupuram.

The weather department has issued red weather alerts for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kallakuruchi and Puducherry, while a red alert has been issued for Villupuram, Kallakuruchi, Cuddalore and Puducherry for Sunday. Ennore received the highest rainfall of 130 mm in the last 24 hours till 8.30 am on Saturday. Many stations in Chennai received more than 80 mm of rain. From 8.30 am to 1.30 pm today, Nungambakkam weather station received 97 mm and Meenambakkam received 102 mm of rain.

According to the weather department, Cyclone Fengal over southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards at a speed of 13 kmph during the last six hours and lay cantered over the same area at 8.30 am today. It is likely to move westwards and cross north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram close to Puducherry. The speed of the storm may range from 70-80 kmph to 90 kmph.

Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran reviewed the relief and rescue operations being carried out in Fengal affected districts. The state government has said in a statement that one company of NDRF and two companies of SDRF have been sent to Chengalpattu, while one company each of SDRF and NDRF has been sent to Villupuram. The state government has already deployed NDRF and SDRF teams in Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore and Thanjavur districts.

2,229 relief centers have been kept ready in the state. So far, 471 people have been shifted to six relief camps in Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. The government has kept 806 boats, 977 generators and 2,439 motor pumps ready in Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Cuddalore, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram.

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to keep schools and colleges closed in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram and Chengalpattu districts. It has also been directed that no special classes or examinations will be conducted for the students. The District Collectors of the respective districts have been asked to decide on declaring holiday in schools and colleges according to the current situation. Similarly, all schools and colleges in Puducherry have been closed for the next two days.

Related India News

PM Modi gives election speech, repetitive in Lok Sabha : Opposition

NEW DELHI: Congress and many other opposition parties on Tuesday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in the Lok Sabha as an 'election speech' and alleged that he did not answer any question raised by the opposition. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said in the Parliament pre....

'There is a factory of ‘Babas’ in the country, it should be closed': RJD MP Manoj Jha

NEW DELHI: Speaking in Rajya Sabha, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said that a factory of Babas has come up in the country and this factory should be closed. Such superstitions are being born inside every religion,he alleged. Speaking on the motion of thanks on the President's address in Rajya Sabha, ....

President’s speech, a repeat of previous years: Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi criticized the President’s speech, calling it a repeat of previous years and a ‘laundry list’ of government achievements. Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about unemployment, stressing that the future of the country dep....

Kharge criticizes Modi govt in Rajya Sabha, asks - 'Is this amrit kaal or poison kaal?

NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday attacked the government in the Rajya Sabha and questioned whether this is Amrit Kaal or Poison Kaal? The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha alleged that the government talks of 'development for all' but it is developing only a few....

Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha: 'Manufacturing at 60-year low, PM fails to make Make in India a success'

NEW DELHI(Fast Mail) : On the third day of the budget session of Parliament on the motion of thanks on the President's address the leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said that there was nothing new in the President's address. Speaking on the motion of thanks to the President's addr....