Cyclone Fengal News Highlights: Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin asks PM Modi to release Rs 2,000 crore for aid efforts

Due to continuous heavy rainfall warnings, all government and government-aided schools, private schools and all colleges in Puducherry will remain closed on December 3: Puducherry education minister A. Namassivayam

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has alerted about substantial rainfall in Kerala, influenced by Cyclone Fengal, which has diminished to a low-pressure system over north interior Tamil Nadu and south interior Karnataka. The system is predicted to shift and intensify, possibly surfacing in the southeast and east-central Arabian Sea near Kerala and Karnataka's northern coastlines around December 3. The forecast indicates widespread light to moderate rainfall across Kerala, with specific regions expected to experience intense precipitation and storms.

Northern and central Kerala should prepare for substantial rainfall on Tuesday. The IMD indicates that sporadic light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms will continue throughout the next five days.

The authorities have placed five northern districts under red alert: Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram. Orange alerts are active for Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts, whilst Kottayam and Pathanamthitta remain under yellow alert.

Authorities confirmed that an NDRF team is positioned for emergency response in Wayanad, where a red alert is in effect. Kerala currently hosts five NDRF teams, with two stationed in Sabarimala, and individual teams in Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts.

State Revenue Minister K Rajan has advised residents to maintain heightened awareness as rainfall intensity is expected to increase in northern Kerala.

The IMD's alert system classifies rainfall severity as follows: red alert indicates extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm within 24 hours, orange alert denotes very heavy rainfall between 11 cm and 20 cm, and yellow alert signals heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.

Tamil Nadu's chief minister M K Stalin has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an immediate interim relief of Rs 2,000 crore from the NDRF, citing "unprecedented" destruction caused by Cyclone Fengal. The funds would assist in temporary restoration of damaged infrastructure and livelihoods.

The cyclone, which began as a Low-Pressure Area on November 23, wreaked havoc across 14 districts of Tamil Nadu. The initial impact brought severe rainfall to Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai districts, as stated in the Chief Minister's letter to the Prime Minister.

Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, and Villupuram experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall afterwards. The cyclone's landfall on December 1 severely affected Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, and Tiruvannamalai, with wind speeds reaching 90 km/h, causing substantial damage to roads and electricity infrastructure.

The disaster also resulted in significant flooding and destruction in the inland districts of Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Ranipet, Vellore and Tirupathur. Stalin highlighted the extensive disruption, which included widespread flooding, population displacement, and severe infrastructure damage.

The calamity affected approximately 69 lakh families and 1.5 crore individuals. Notably, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Kallakurichi districts received rainfall exceeding 50 cm in a single day, equivalent to an entire season's average, resulting in extensive flooding and severe damage to infrastructure and agricultural lands.

Due to Cyclone Fengal's influence, Bengaluru and other Karnataka regions will experience rainfall for the next two days, according to the IMD's Monday announcement. Since Sunday evening, Bengaluru has experienced precipitation, and IMD officials indicated that Coastal Karnataka and portions of South Interior Karnataka would likely see widespread rainfall on Monday, followed by light to moderate rainfall on Tuesday.

Officials indicated that these regions would see decreased rainfall starting from the third day.

The IMD Bengaluru director, C S Patil, announced that a yellow alert is currently in effect for Bengaluru and several districts including Hassan, Mandya, and Ramanagara.

Patil further explained that the extensive rainfall across Bengaluru and other Karnataka regions since Sunday is attributed to Cyclone Fengal's effects.

IMD officials have issued an orange alert for Udupi, Chikmagaluru, and Chikkaballapur districts, where "very heavy to heavy rainfall" is anticipated.

The Puducherry administration has declared financial support of Rs 5,000 for each ration cardholder impacted by Cyclone Fengal, as announced by chief minister N Rangaswamy.

"Due to cyclone Fengal, Puducherry received 48% rainfall, which was unexpected. The Puducherry government has decided to provide relief assistance of Rs 5,000 to all ration cardholders affected by the cyclone," Rangaswamy told reporters.

"Additionally, due to heavy rainfall, 10,000 hectares of crops in the Puducherry state have been damaged. Therefore, we have decided to provide Rs 30,000 per hectare to affected farmers.
Cyclone Fengal has left a trail of destruction in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. The recent floods have damaged 50 boats, and the government has announced a relief package of Rs 10,000 for their repair," he added.

The severe weather system brought substantial precipitation to the coastal areas of northern Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Five bodies were recovered from Annamalaiyar Hill after being trapped in a house buried under mud and rocks following heavy rainfall on December 1. Multiple rescue teams, including NDRF, police, and fire service personnel, conducted an intensive search from Monday morning. Initially, they found a child's body on Monday evening, followed by the recovery of four additional bodies, according to police reports.

The impact of Cyclone Fengal triggered four mud slips in the hill area since December 1 night. The house was struck by a falling boulder during the incident.

Police confirmed that the recovered bodies were transported to the government hospital, with one of the deceased being a woman.

Residents of VOC Nagar, situated at the foothill, informed officials that the victims included a couple, their two children, and three other children who were trapped when the house collapsed after a boulder tumbled down during a mud slip on December 1 night.

Efforts continue to locate two more missing individuals.

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai says, "The damage that is caused by rain is very substantial in nature. Our workers are already in the field...Tomorrow I am personally visiting along with relief material. It is not acceptable if the Tamil Nadu CM says that they have done good work...The question is preparedness, anticipating a dam has been broken, water is coming out. Whether that kind of work has happened, whether they have cleaned the canals and desilting of canals so that more water can enter those canals, hasn't happened...Even as we speak in Cuddalore where a lot of crops are submerged in water, PM Modi has brought the crop insurance scheme. The state government has made very little effort to go and talk to farmers to get them enrolled...The chief minister is continuously saying that the government has done good work and is only trying to fool the people...Puducherry CM has immediately announced a substantial sum of Rs 5000 per ration card. But the Tamil Nadu government every year they do politics on this. Every year they do politics. This year also they will do politics. Every year NDRF funds come from the central government. When that fund comes, the state government just pastes stickers as if the state government is giving it. So this year too they will try to do it again. We are appealing to the state government. Not just relief at the ground level. Giving compensation money at the beginning will also help. Especially for farmers and those who have lost a lot of valuables in this flood caused by rain..."

Cyclone Fengal wreaked havoc on paddy fields spanning 1.29 lakh hectares in Villupuram district, as confirmed by Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Monday.

"We will assess the damage as soon as the inundated rainwater drains from paddy fields and announce due compensation to the farmers. Similarly, the govt will provide adequate compensation to the families of the deceased people and cattle and for the houses damaged in the cyclone," he said.

During his Monday inspection of cyclone-affected regions in the district, Stalin evaluated the relief and rehabilitation initiatives implemented by the district administration.

The chief minister announced that the state government would promptly submit a detailed report to the Union government regarding the cyclone's destruction. He indicated their intention to request the Centre to dispatch a team for assessing the extent of damage caused by the natural disaster.

Wayanad, Kerala: On IMD issues Red alert in Wayanad, Wayanad DM Meghashree says, "...The district administration has been very active and we held a district disaster management authority meeting yesterday. We also had a meeting today. All the field staff are active and they are on the field. The district emergency operations centre is actively monitoring the situation on the ground. We are also monitoring the water level of the rivers and reservoirs...We are closely monitoring the vulnerable locations...We have issued a warning to the people also who are living in vulnerable locations and urged them to move to safer locations"

N Rangasamy, the chief minister of Puducherry, announced various relief measures on Monday to address the devastation caused by Cyclone Fengal and heavy rainfall in the union territory. During a press briefing, he reported that Puducherry experienced an extraordinary rainfall of 48.4 cm over 24 hours until 9 am on December 1, noting this was unprecedented in the area's history.

The chief minister confirmed four fatalities due to the cyclone and rainfall, with bereaved families to receive Rs 5 lakh each as compensation.

He stated that 3.54 lakh families registered under the public distribution system would receive Rs 5,000 directly in their bank accounts.

The chief minister also reported that 10,000 hectares of agricultural land were affected, with farmers qualifying for Rs 30,000 per hectare in compensation.

For dairy farmers, compensation includes Rs 40,000 per lost cow and Rs 20,000 per calf. He specified, "Fishermen who lost boats will get Rs 10,000, while residents whose huts were destroyed will be compensated with Rs 20,000 for fully damaged huts and Rs 10,000 for partial damage."

According to Rangasamy, the Puducherry government's Chief Secretary has submitted an interim report requesting Rs 100 crore in assistance from the Union Home Ministry.

He also requested the Centre to send an assessment team to evaluate the widespread damage across various sectors.

The chief minister reported that 208 relief camps have been set up, with 85,000 food packets distributed to affected residents so far.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Monday expressed his displeasure with the Central government on Monday regarding the prohibition of MPs from discussing the cyclone's effects in Parliament.

"In Parliament, MPs were not allowed to speak about Cyclone Fengal. As part of our responsibility, we are assessing the damages and will send a report. That is our duty and responsibility. It is also their responsibility to respond, but they are refusing to do so. Despite this, we are doing our best," CM Stalin stated whilst speaking to reporters in Chennai.

The Chief Minister also addressed criticism from Opposition Leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, noting that whilst the AIADMK leader continues with accusations, the public recognises the effectiveness of state government schemes.

"Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami's only responsibility seems to be levelling accusations against us. However, people know under which government welfare schemes are implemented effectively," Stalin further remarked.

Stalin commended the efforts of district officers and relief teams responding to the flooding and heavy rainfall caused by the cyclone.

"Deputy chief minister, ministers, public representatives, coordinating officers, district collectors, and rescue and relief team are working with dedication. I am personally monitoring the situation to ensure normalcy is restored. I have advised officials to complete all ground-level work promptly," he stated.

Northern Tamil Nadu's Villupuram district experienced severe flooding on Monday due to intense rainfall, causing widespread disruption. Access to residential areas and villages was blocked as bridges and roads were submerged. Standing crops were inundated, whilst rail and road traffic came to a standstill. In Villupuram and neighbouring Cuddalore, residents faced unprecedented flooding with vehicles submerged up to two feet. The River Thenpennai overflowed, and numerous trees were uprooted. At Aragandanallur in Villupuram, water levels rose above 4 feet, nearly submerging tiled houses.

Western Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts experienced their worst floods in twenty years. Rainfall measurements from December 1, 8:30 am to the next day showed Uthangarai in Krishnagiri receiving 50 cm, Villupuram up to 42 cm, and Harur in Dharmapuri 33 cm. Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai recorded 16 cm each.

At Uthangarai, floodwaters swept away numerous vehicles, including cars and vans belonging to local tour operators, from the road into lower areas. The flooding severely affected road connectivity from Uthangarai to Krishnagiri and Tiruvannamalai.

A senior India Meteorological Department official informed PTI that remnants of Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall near Puducherry on November 30 night, caused the extreme rainfall.
Southern Railway suspended operations on Monday morning along the crucial Vikravandi-Mundiyampakkam bridge in Villupuram due to dangerous water levels. This led to cancellations, diversions, and shortened routes for various services, including express and superfast trains.

The IMD issued an alert on Monday warning of substantial rainfall in Kerala, influenced by cyclone Fengal, which is currently a strong low-pressure system over northern Tamil Nadu. The IMD indicated that the system will strengthen as it traverses towards the Arabian Sea, moving across northern Kerala and Karnataka by December 3.

The forecast predicts light to moderate rainfall across Kerala on Monday, with some areas expected to experience very heavy precipitation and thunderstorms. The IMD projects heavy to very heavy rainfall in northern and central Kerala on Tuesday, with intermittent light to moderate rain and thunderstorms continuing for five days.

The IMD has placed five northern districts under red alert: Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram. Orange alerts are active in Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki, and Ernakulam, whilst Kottayam, Alappuzha, and Pathanamthitta are under yellow alert.

K Rajan, the State Revenue Minister, has called for public vigilance as rainfall intensity is expected to increase in northern Kerala.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin says "Around 400 people comprising of 7 NDRF, 8 SDRF teams are in Villupuram doing rescue works. In Cuddalore, 56 people comprising of NDRF and SDRF and in Tiruvannamalai 30 people are carrying out the rescue works.147 relief camps are functioning in which 7,776 people were made to stay. For them, all basic necessary water, food and medicine facilities are being provided. Villupuram has faced disaster due to the cyclone. Many villages and municipalities are facing challenges without electricity. 900 EB workers are on the ground...When rainfall stops completely and water drains, a proper damage assessment will be done and compensation will be given..."

Vikas, SI, NDRF says, " We are from 4th NDRF team, our team is on standby as there is a red alert issued in Wayanad. Our team is well-equipped with CSSR (Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue) equipment and flood equipment...right now we have 5 teams in Kerala..."

Villupuram district in northern Tamil Nadu remains severely affected by unprecedented flooding. On Monday, CM M. K. Stalin visited the region, interacted with the affected residents, and distributed relief materials.

The flooding led to the temporary suspension of all train services passing through Villupuram, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. A railway official stated that services would resume once safety conditions were met. Additionally, traffic on the crucial Chennai-Tiruchirappalli National Highway, particularly in and around Villupuram, was disrupted due to the inundation.

A heartwarming video showing a man rescuing a stranded dog amid the floods in Puducherry is going viral on social media platforms.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin on Monday said that he will be visiting Viluppuram and Kallakurichi districts to inspect the damage and provide assistance to people.

"I am personally visiting Viluppuram and Kallakurichi districts to see the severe damage caused by Cyclone Fengal and help the people," CM Stalin said in a post on X.

In response to the persistent rains brought on by Cyclone Fengal, the Deputy Commissioners of Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Chamarajanagara, and Mysuru have declared a holiday for schools and colleges on December 2. This precautionary measure aims to ensure the safety of students and staff amid the ongoing weather conditions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Bengaluru, along with Hassan, Mandya, and Ramanagara, due to the ongoing rainfall caused by Cyclone Fengal.

The city and neighboring areas are expected to experience moderate rainfall for the next three days. However, officials anticipate that rainfall will decrease after the third day.

Following heavy rainfall, a holiday has been announced for all schools and colleges in five districts: Mandya, Mysuru, Kolar, Chamarajanagar, and Chikkaballapur on Monday.

Meteorologists forecast that Bengaluru and its surrounding districts will continue to experience the after-effects of Cyclone Fengal, with a yellow alert for moderate rain issued for the next three days.

"After a few days of drizzle and cold weather, temperatures in the city are expected to return to their usual winter season levels after one week. The cyclone effect will continue as it moves from east to west, possibly reaching the Arabian Sea. So citizens can expect the same weather conditions for the whole week even though drizzles are expected to stop after four days," Rajavel Manickam, an IMD Bengaluru scientist, said.

The IMD said, "The depression (Remnant of Cyclonic Storm "Fengal") over north coastal Tamil Nadu & Puducherry moved nearly westwards and weakened into a Well Marked Low Pressure Area at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 02nd December 2024, over North Interior Tamil Nadu. The remnant low pressure area is likely to emerge over southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea off north Kerala-Karnataka coasts around 3rd December 2024."

Due to severe rainfall in Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts, officials have restricted Sabarimala devotees from accessing rivers and bathing ghats, whilst also suspending travel through the forest path via Sathram to the sacred shrine. The district collectors of both regions have implemented these temporary measures to protect pilgrims' wellbeing.

Heavy rains from Cyclone Fengal, which persisted for nearly 15 hours, have caused severe flooding in the Uthangarai area of Krishnagiri district, disrupting daily life.

??Water levels have risen above the roads and entered residential areas, inundating houses and affecting the lives of residents.

In response to a request from the Puducherry District Collector, Indian Army troops from the Chennai Garrison Battalion under Dakshin Bharat Area were deployed in the early hours of December 1. A Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) column, comprising 1 officer, 6 JCOs, and 62 personnel, was mobilized at 2am, covering a distance of 160 km overnight to reach Puducherry by 5.30am.

The team, led by Major Ajay Sangwan, was tasked with rescuing civilians stranded in approximately 500 houses in the Krishnanagar area, where water levels had risen to nearly 5 feet in certain locations. The swift deployment and coordinated efforts were aimed at mitigating the impact of Cyclone Fengal in the region.

Idukki district collector V. Vigneswari has ordered a temporary ban on the movement of pilgrims along the Mukkuzhi-Sathram forest route from Kumily to Sabarimala due to continuous heavy rainfall. The ban will remain in effect until weather conditions improve.

With large parts of Puducherry submerged, relief camps were set up to accommodate those affected by the floodwaters.

Many people, including senior citizens, were evacuated from their homes and relocated to these camps, where food packets were provided.

Voluntary organizations, including the Pondicherry Heritage Round Table 167, helped in preparing and distributing food to the flood victims.

The district authorities, along with support from the Army and NDRF, continued their efforts to provide relief and assistance to the affected populations.

The heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Fengal paralyzed Puducherry and Karaikal, leaving many areas submerged.

Power supply was interrupted across the region but was gradually restored on Monday. Officials reported that some electricity sub-stations were flooded, and immediate action was taken to pump out water.

Key areas like Venkata Nagar, Kamaraj Nagar, Vallalar Salai, and Kamarajar Salai were among the worst-hit. The situation required the intervention of the Army and National Disaster Response Force to rescue people from flood-affected zones.

Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy announced that a detailed report assessing the damage caused by Cyclone Fengal was being prepared and would be sent to the central government for relief.

The cyclone made landfall near Puducherry on November 30, weakening on Sunday but leaving behind a trail of destruction with torrential rain.

The Army was involved in evacuating stranded individuals from inundated areas.

The region saw the heaviest rainfall recorded in 50 years, severely affecting residential colonies like Venkata Nagar and Kamaraj Nagar, where waterlogging forced residents to stay indoors.

Due to the heavy rains in the Nilgiris district, a holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in the district today: District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya.

IMD predicts light thunderstorm & lightning with light to moderate rain in the district today

7 people were feared trapped in Tiruvannamalai on Monday due to a heavy mudslide amid the heavy rain in the district.

30 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel engaged in the rescue operations using hydraulic lifts, as per official information.

The School Education Department has allowed headmasters in Chennai district to declare a holiday for schools in case they face water stagnation due to rain.

Chennai Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express, Chennai Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express, Madurai Chennai Vaigai Express were cancelled due to flood water running above the tracks between Vikravandi and Mundiyampakkam stations

In the aftermath of Cyclone Fengal, the city is awash in piles of garbage, including plastic, bottles and tree debris. Several areas remain littered, and the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is yet to complete the cleanup required to restore normalcy.

Although Chennai returned to normalcy, its suburbs continued to experience intermittent rain, power outages, and minor disruptions. Major rainfall activity has shifted to interior districts as the cyclone weakens into a deep depression.

The IMD issued a red alert for four districts in Kerala, forecasting extremely heavy rains, and an orange alert for five districts in Tamil Nadu. Bengaluru remains under a yellow alert for moderate rainfall over the next three days.