Cyclone Fengal: Panicked residents turn Velachery flyover into car parking zone again, watch video

Heavy rains lashed several parts of north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on November 30 due to Cyclone Fengal, disrupting normal life and prompting evacuations. The rainfall, initially sporadic in coastal areas on the night of November 29, intensified into steady showers, accompanied by strong winds leading to flooding in many regions.

Many areas in the city were inundated, and several trees were uprooted. In the low-lying areas of Madipakkam, residents parked their cars on the Velachery flyover, a precaution following flood damage to vehicles during last year’s heavy rains. Other residents from Velachery, Madipakkam and Pallikaranai also moved their vehicles to higher ground. Roads were largely empty as civic workers, police, and fire/rescue personnel carried out rain-related relief and rescue operations.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) deployed 22,000 personnel, including engineers, officials and sanitary workers, and put 1,686 motor pumps of varying capacities, including 25-hp and 100-hp pumps, into operation. Additionally, 484 heavy-duty tractor-mounted pumps and 137 100-hp pumps were deployed. The GCC is working on war footing to clear waterlogging in 134 locations. Traffic flow was smooth in 21 out of 22 subways with the Ganesapuram subway closed for railway bridge work.

In Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin conducted an emergency review at the State Emergency Operations Centre with senior officials. He assured the public that all necessary precautions had been taken, with relief camps set up for residents in vulnerable areas, and food supplies were being distributed. He also inspected a pumping station.

Key reservoirs supplying drinking water to Chennai, including Chembarmbakkam and Poondi, received substantial inflows. State-run transport services in Chennai were limited and railway officials announced reduced frequency of EMU services across the suburban sections.

However, train services, including express and superfast trains were largely unaffected with some delays. Due to strong winds, suburban services between Chennai Beach and Velachery on the MRTS section were suspended from 12:15 pm.

Chennai Metro operations continued as usual, but the public was notified of potential flooding at certain stations’ parking areas. The airport suspended all operations from 12:30 pm to 7 pm, affecting flight schedules. Several flights were diverted to Bengaluru and Tiruchirappalli, while 18 flights were cancelled and 12 were delayed.

The police set up barricades at popular beaches, including Marina and Mamallapuram, to prevent public access due to rough sea conditions. Despite the storm, power supply remained stable in many areas, and Aavin milk supply was unaffected.

The government declared November 30 a holiday for educational institutions and advised IT companies to allow employees to work from home.

In Puducherry, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived from Arakonam to assist with relief efforts. People in low-lying areas were evacuated. District Collector A Kulothungan confirmed that Cyclone Fengal was expected to make landfall in the evening. Control rooms were set up at the collectorate and across relevant departments. Public access to the beach road and several tourist sites was restricted, and schools and colleges remained closed.

(With inputs from PTI)