Rainfall Paralyses Life in Puducherry; Army Steps In

PUDUCHERRY: After making landfall near Puducherry on November 30, Cyclone Fengal weakened on Sunday, but torrential downpour under its influence paralysed the union territory, with the Army stepping in to evacuate stranded persons in inundated streets. "The Cyclonic Storm FENGAL over north coastal Tamil Nadu & Puducherry remained practically stationary during past 12 hours, weakened into a deep depression and lay centered at 11.30 hours IST of today, the 1st December 2024 over the same region near latitude 12.0�N and longitude 79.8�E, close to Puducherry, about 30 km north of Cuddalore, 40 km east of Villupuram and 120 km south-southwest of Chennai," the weather office said in a post on 'X. 'It is likely to move westwards very slowly and weaken gradually into a depression over north Tamil Nadu during the next 12 hours, it added.Normal life was crippled in Puducherry, as the union territory received 46 cm rainfall, bettering the previous best of 21 cm recorded on October 31, 2004.Cyclone Fengal triggered heavy rainfall, leading to inundation of all residential areas on the outskirts Of boulevard limits. Farmlands with standing crops bore the brunt of the heavy rain.Transport services were hit and voluntary organisations like Pondicherry Heritage Round Table 167 volunteered to supplement the efforts of the government to supply food packets to people staying in relief camps.Meanwhile, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin briefed reporters about the cyclone and its impact in the city and elsewhere.He pointed out that Villupuram had received heavy rainfall, with Mailam in the district recording 49 cm, followed by Nemmeli at 46 cm and Vanur in the last 24 hours. A review of damage to standing crops could also be taken up only after rain stops, Stalin said.The matter will be discussed and the state government will apprise the Centre later, he added.TV visuals showed heavy flooding in Tindivanam town of Villupuram.As regards Chennai, he said that despite heavy rains in the city on Saturday, there was no inundation in many parts due to the precautionary works and desilting activities.In north chennai, water was cleared using large motors.