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As Cyclone Fengal began making landfall, Puducherry and several parts of Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rain and gusty winds, disrupting road and air services and affecting normal life.
"The Cyclonic Storm 'FENGAL' [pronounced as FEINJAL] over the southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-southwestwards at a speed of 7 kmph over the past six hours and was centred at 1730 IST today, 30th November 2024, over the southwest Bay of Bengal, off the north Tamil Nadu coast near latitude 12.2N and longitude 80.3E. It was located approximately 40 km from the coast, 50 km south-southeast of Mahabalipuram, 60 km east-northeast of Puducherry, and 90 km south of Chennai," the IMD stated in a post on X. "Latest observations indicate that the forward sector of the cyclone's spiral bands has entered land. The storm is expected to move west-southwestwards, crossing the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, close to Puducherry, as a cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 70-80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph, within the next 3 to 4 hours," the post updated at 7:30 pm added. Authorities in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu reviewed the situation and implemented precautionary measures. Puducherry District Collector A. Kulothungan stated that the district administration had taken comprehensive steps to prepare for Cyclone Fengal. "The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to address the impact of Cyclone Fengal," Kulothungan told ANI. "The war room is operational, and relief centres have been established with all necessary arrangements in place. Warning messages have been disseminated, and approximately 4,000 government officials are on duty," he added. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin assessed the preparedness and precautionary measures. He also visited the Chennai State Operation Center, accompanied by state ministers KN Nehru and KKSSR Ramachandran. The Chief Minister interacted with the District Collectors of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and other districts via video conferencing to evaluate on-ground conditions. He assured the public that the state government is closely monitoring the situation and implementing necessary measures. Addressing the media, CM Stalin said the government had been conducting continuous inspections and taking steps to mitigate the impact. "The MET Department has warned of continuous rainfall for the next two to three days. The Tamil Nadu government has been conducting inspections and taking precautionary measures. We have received information that the cyclonic storm will cross the coast tonight. The Chennai Corporation Commissioner has been in touch with the District Collectors of Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and other districts to assess the field conditions. Relief work is underway, and relief camps have been set up to accommodate affected people," CM Stalin said. Due to Cyclone Fengal, Chennai Airport authorities decided to extend the closure of operations until 4 am on 1st December. "A team of senior officials is closely monitoring the situation to facilitate the earliest resumption of operations as meteorological conditions improve. A WebEx meeting was conducted on 30th November 2024 at 1630 hrs, involving all stakeholders and officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD)," Chennai Airport said in a post on X. "During the meeting, IMD provided updates indicating that the landfall is expected around 2030 hrs, with prevailing weather conditions likely to persist until 2330 hrs. Following consultations with AAI Headquarters and considering feedback from stakeholders, it has been decided to extend the closure of operations through a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) until 0400 IST on 1st December 2024. We recommend passengers check with their respective airlines regarding their flights," the post added. Earlier in the day, authorities announced that airport operations would be closed from 12:30 pm to 7 pm today. This has now been extended. Due to the heavy rains in Chennai caused by Cyclone Fengal, the Southern Railway announced changes in train services. The Dr. MGR Chennai Central-Jolarpettai Yelagiri Express (Train No. 16089), scheduled to depart from Dr. MGR Chennai Central at 17:55 hours today, has been fully cancelled. The Gorakhpur-Thiruvananthapuram North (Kochuveli) Raptisagar Express (Train No. 12511), which departed from Gorakhpur at 06:35 hours on November 29, will be diverted via Korukkupet and Perambur, skipping its scheduled stop at Dr. MGR Chennai Central. The train will have an additional stoppage at Perambur, with timings of 23:30 (arrival) and 23:35 (departure), Southern Railway said in a press release. The Dhanbad-Alappuzha Express (Train No. 13351), which departed from Dhanbad at 11:35 hours on November 29, will also be diverted via Korukkupet and Perambur, skipping its scheduled stop at Dr. MGR Chennai Central. The train will have an additional stoppage at Perambur, with timings of 23:50 (arrival) and 23:55 (departure). Passengers are advised to check with railway authorities for further updates and to plan their journeys accordingly. (ANI)
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