Cyclone Fengal: Schools closed in Puducherry, some TN districts; IMD issues rain alert for Karnataka, Kerala

After landfall between Puducherry and neighbouring Tamil Nadu on November 30, Cyclone Fengal weakened on Sunday, but heavy rain continues.

Cyclone Fengal's impact has brought incessant heavy rainfall to Puducherry, where it made landfall near the union territory on Saturday, prompting authorities to announce a holiday for all government and private schools, as well as colleges, on Tuesday, December 3.

The flooded Uthangarai area following heavy rainfall in the aftermath of Cyclone Fengal, in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (PTI)

After making landfall between Puducherry and neighbouring Tamil Nadu on November 30, Cyclone Fengal weakened on Sunday, but torrential downpours under its influence have been taking place. The Army stepped in to evacuate stranded persons in inundated streets in the union territory. Parts of Tamil Nadu also suffered following heavy rains and inundation.

Cyclone Fengal aftermath | Key points

• Cyclone Fengal status: According to the last update by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the remnant of the cyclonic storm over north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry moved nearly westwards and weakened into a ‘Well Marked Low Pressure Area’ at 5:30 a.m. on Monday. The remnant low pressure area is likely to emerge over southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea off north Kerala-Karnataka coasts around December 3, the IMD said.
• Schools closed in Puducherry: Education minister A Namachivayam announced a holiday for all government and private schools, as well as colleges, on Tuesday, December 3, due to heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Fengal.

Vehicles and people wade through a flooded road amid heavy rainfall triggered by Cyclone Fengal, in Puducherry on Sunday.

| Key points

• Army, NDRF's rescue operations in Puducherry: Among the most affected in Puducherry were the areas around Sankaraparani River, where over 200 residences in NR Nagar were inundated, necessitating a rescue operation led by the Indian Army along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

• Cyclone Fengal impact in Tamil Nadu: The cyclone also resulted in extremely heavy rainfall in coastal regions of north Tamil Nadu, with Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate the release of ₹2,000 crore interim relief from the NDRF at once for the "unprecedented" devastation in the state. Stalin listed the districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Ranipet, Vellore and Tirupathur as having experienced extremely heavy rainfall and damages.

**EDS: BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE** Krishnagiri: Swept away vehichles in flooded Uthangarai area following heavy rainfall in the aftermath of Cyclone Fengal, in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI12_02_2024_000166B)

• 7 dead as boulder falls on house in TN: Seven people died after a boulder from the hills fell on a residence in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu following heavy rainfall on Sunday. The large rock reportedly fell onto the residence of a man identified as Rajkumar, located on 11th Street in VOC Nagar, Tiruvannamalai, around 4 pm on December 1 after heavy rains in the region. The deceased were identified as Rajkumar, his wife Meena (27), his son Gowtham (8), daughter Viniya (5), Ramya (7), Vinodhini (16), and Maha (7).
• Schools shut in some TN districts: All schools and colleges will remain closed in four districts of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday due to heavy rainfall from Cyclone Fengal. All schools in the Nilgiris district will be closed, while schools and colleges in Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Puducherry districts will also remain be shut. In Kallakurichi, schools under Thirukovilur Town, and in Krishnagiri, schools under Pechampalli, Uthangarai Taluk will also remain closed due to the rains.
• Kerala weather: The IMD on Monday issued a warning of significant rainfall in Kerala due to Cyclone Fengal, which has currently weakened into a low-pressure area over north interior Tamil Nadu, extending into south interior Karnataka. Red alerts were issued for five northern districts--Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Malappuram--on Monday. Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts are under an orange alert, while Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta were on a yellow alert.
• Karnataka weather forecast: IMD said on Monday that Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka are also expected to receive rainfall for the next two days owing to Cyclone Fengal. Bengaluru had been receiving rain since Sunday evening, and according to IMD officials, Coastal Karnataka and parts of South Interior Karnataka were likely to experience light to moderate rainfall on Tuesday. The Dakshina Kannada district administration, which was under an orange alert on Monday, is expected to receive "heavy to very heavy rainfall" in the on Tuesday as well. As a precaution, all anganwadis, government, aided, and private schools, along with pre-university colleges up to class 12, will remain closed on December 3 in Dakshina Kannada.