India: Cyclone Fengal brings year’s rainfall in 36 hours

Chennai: Cyclone Fengal has brought the equivalent of an entire year’s rainfall to parts of Tamil Nadu in just 36 hours, with some areas receiving up to 56 centimetres of rain, according to Rajesh Lakhani, Tamil Nadu’s Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management.

With the cyclone now moving out of the region, the government is focusing on restoration efforts. Lakhani said that 49 relief camps have been set up in Viluppuram district alone.

Get exclusive content with Gulf News WhatsApp channel

“As the cyclone has passed, our focus has shifted to restoring the damage,” he said.

“Heavy rainfall continued until recently, with some areas recording 56 centimetres since 8:30 am yesterday. This is the equivalent of a year’s worth of rainfall in just 36 hours. The cyclone remained stationary for a time, which led to such intense rainfall. Many trees have fallen, there is widespread waterlogging, and road traffic and power supplies have been disrupted. However, evacuations were carried out in advance, and 49 relief camps are operational in Viluppuram. Efforts are underway to restore normalcy as quickly as possible.”

Lakhani added, “At this stage, we are focusing on measuring the rainfall. Damage assessments are ongoing as we prioritize immediate relief and restoration.”As the cyclone moves westward, heavy rainfall is expected in parts of Andhra Pradesh, including the coastal and Rayalaseema regions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued warnings for continued severe weather in these areas.KVS Srinivas, Managing Director of the Cyclone Warning Centre in Visakhapatnam, reported that Fengal has been stationary for the last six hours and is likely to continue moving slowly westward.

“Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected over the next 24 hours in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema,” he said. “Heavy rainfall has been recorded in many parts of Rayalaseema. As forecasted, very heavy rainfall was seen in Kakinada and other districts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh, as well as in the south coastal region, including Nellore.”

In Tamil Nadu, several districts continue to experience heavy rain after Fengal made landfall on November 30. Cuddalore district has seen widespread flooding, and disaster teams are using boats to rescue affected residents. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), led by District Collector Balaraman, is actively involved in rescue operations.

In Chinna Gangankuppam, a border area between Cuddalore and Puducherry, the Tamil Nadu Disaster Rescue team used a JCB machine to remove a fallen tree from the national highway.Indian Army troops from the Chennai Garrison Battalion were mobilised early on Sunday to assist with rescue operations in flood-hit areas of Puducherry.The IMD had reported that Cyclone Fengal made landfall late Saturday night, crossing the North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between 10:30 pm and 11:30 pm IST, with wind speeds of 70-80 km/h, gusting up to 90 km/h.

Three people were electrocuted in Chennai as a result of the storm, Tamil Nadu state disaster management minister KKSSR Ramachandran confirmed on Saturday. However, he added that the cyclone’s overall damage was “minimal.”The Times of India reported a total of four fatalities, noting flooding and fallen trees, though “not to the extent feared.”

Cyclones, equivalent to hurricanes in the North Atlantic or typhoons in the northwest Pacific, are a regular and deadly threat in the northern Indian Ocean.

Fengal had earlier skirted the coast of Sri Lanka, causing at least 12 deaths, including six children. Scientists have warned that storms are becoming more intense as global temperatures rise due to climate change caused by fossil fuel emissions.