IMD predicts extremely heavy rainfall in Puducherry

According to IMD, Puducherry is likely to receive extremely heavy rainfall today and "moderate" for December 2. The cyclone made landfall on the Union Territory's coast at 7 in the evening on Saturday.

According to IMD, the isolated places over north Tamil Nadu are likely to witness "heavy to very heavy rainfall" today. The weather department had informed that the wind speed along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts would reach "70-80 kilometres per hour gusting to 90 kmph".

"It is likely to prevail till the night of November 30 and gradually decrease thereafter," IMD said in its National Bulletin.

Cyclonic Storm Fengal crossed the North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts on Saturday late night and is likely to continue moving west-southwestward, weakening into a deep depression within the next few hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

According to the IMD, the cyclone crossed the coast near Puducherry between 10:30 pm and 11:30 pm IST, with wind speeds of 70-80 kmph gusting up to 90 kmph.

"The Cyclonic Storm FENGAL crossed North Tamil Nadu & Puducherry coasts near latitude 12.05N and longitude 79.9E, close to Puducherry, between 2230 hrs IST and 2330 hrs IST yesterday, the 30th November as a cyclonic storm with wind speed of 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph. It lay centred at 2330 hours IST yesterday, the 30th of November over north coastal Tamilnadu & Puducherry near latitude 12.0N and longitude 79.8E, close to Puducherry. It will continue to move west-southwestwards slowly and weaken gradually into a deep depression during the next 3 hours," IMD said in a post on X.

The official statement added that residents in the affected areas have been advised to remain indoors and follow all instructions from local authorities to ensure their safety.

Meanwhile, people living in nearby areas have been shifted to relief camps near Kalpakkam in Chengalpattu district, in the wake of Cyclone Fengal. (ANI)