Cyclone Fengal has made landfall near Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. And the effect of the landfall has weakened into a deep depression as of Sunday. However, the heavy rainfall and widespread flooding continue to impact various areas in both regions. Krishnagiri, a district in Tamil Nadu, has been particularly hard-hit, with severe flooding causing several vehicles to be dragged from roads into low-lying areas.
At Uthangiri bus station in Krishnagiri, several dramatic visuals have been captured as buses and other vehicles end up getting submerged in floodwaters. Some buses were slowly carried away by the strong currents. All the scenarios highlight the severity of the flooding and its impact. The region has been experiencing continuous rainfall for over 14 hours, with Uthangarai recording the heaviest rainfall overnight.
Read More: Cyclone Fengal Triggers Red Alert In Chennai And Northern Tamil Nadu, Bringing Intense Rainfall
As per the higher authorities rescue operations are currently underway in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to rescue those stuck due to cyclone Fengal landfall. Rescue teams are working continuously to evacuate stranded citizens. In Puducherry, the Indian Army successfully rescued an infant who was trapped in a submerged house using an inflatable boat.
Meanwhile, on the other hand, rescue teams from IIT Madras are assisting a family caught under a landslide in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvannamalai district. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is also playing a key role in evacuating affected people from the Cuddalore district using boats.
Read More: Cyclone Fengal: Heavy Rain, School Closures, And Flight Disruptions Expected In Tamil Nadu
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rainfall warning for several districts in Tamil Nadu. The districts include Nilgiris, Erode, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Dindigul, Krishnagiri, Salem, Namakkal, Trichy, Karur, Madurai, and Theni. Whereas, an ‘orange’ alert has also been issued for parts of Karnataka and its neighbouring districts. In those districts, rough weather is expected to persist until Tuesday.
In response to the adverse weather conditions, and severe aftereffects of landfall. All schools and colleges, both private and government-run, in Tamil Nadu have been closed for the day. Chief Minister MK Stalin announced that more than 7,000 people have been evacuated across the state and are being sheltered in 147 relief camps.
In Puducherry, water levels in localities such as Krishna Nagar have risen to nearly five feet. This has leaf around 500 houses in severe flooded conditions. For this reason over 100 residents have been rescued by the Indian Army, while many others remain stranded.
The after-effect of the landfall and heavy rain-fall situation remains critical. Moreover, as rescue efforts continue the authorities monitor the ongoing weather developments.
