Cyclone Fengal made landfall near Puducherry on November 30 at approximately 10.30 pm, the Indian Metrological Department (IMD) has said. However, well-known private weather bloggers such as Pradeep John and Chennai Rains said that the cyclone crossed into land much later.
According to the weather bloggers, the cyclone has been unusually slow-moving. The IMD has said that the cyclone had remained stationary close to Puducherry, about 30 km north of Cuddalore, 40 km east of Villupuram and 120 km south-southwest of Chennai as of 5.30 am on December 1. They added that the storm is likely to move westwards slowly and gradually weaken into a deep depression over north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the next six hours.
Pradeep John told TNM that the cyclone crossed into land only around 10:30 am to 11:00 am on December 1. He also added in a social media post that the storm will now move northwest, which means Tiruvannamalai, Kallakuruchi, Salem, Dharmapuri Krishnagiri, Tirupattur, norther parts of Erode, Bangalore and Mysore will receive rainfall. Chennai may witness sudden intense bursts of rain in some localities, he added.
With a stuck cyclone, today too Cuddalore, Pondy, Villupuram, Kallakuruchi, Salem will be in the hot spot. Chennai to get on and off rains and sudden short intense spells.”
According to Chennai Rains, while IMD has confirmed a landfall, surface winds indicate that the weather system continues to straddle the coast and open seas. The popular weather-blogging site also added that districts like Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi will continue to see “relentless rains” for the next few hours until the circulation moves further inland. Places surrounding these districts will also see heavy downpours as rain bands continue to remain near stationary, they said. Villupuram and Districts like Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi will continue to see relentless rains for the next few hours until the circulation moves further inland. Places surrounding these districts will also see heavy rains as bands remain near stationary, Chennai Rains also said.
Villupuram and Puducherry have been the worst hit by the rains so far. According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai, between November 30, 8:30 am and December 1, 5:30 Puducherry recorded 469.5 mm—the highest 24-hours cumulative rainfall recorded in the last 30-years, according to the RMC. Villupuram recorded the highest in the state with 498 mm of rain in the same period. Cuddalore received the fourth highest amount of rainfall with 179 mm and the Thiruvanamalai - Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) station recorded 175.5 mm of rain.
The Meenambakkam station in Chennai, meanwhile, recorded 115 mm of rain. According to reports, three people were electrocuted to death in separate incidents. One victim was a migrant worker who was electrocuted outside a private bank’s ATM near Parrys’. Chennai Airport was forced to shut down and at least 226 were reportedly cancelled and another 20 were diverted to other airports.
According to the Greater Chennai Traffic Police, rain water has been cleared out of the following subways: Harrington Road, Loyola, Duraisamy, Arangnathan, Palavanthangal, Pavalavannan, Mount, Thillaiganga Nagar, Meenambakam, RBI, Ajax, Stanley Hospital, CB Road, Sundaram Point, Perambur, Villivakkam, Kathirvedu.
Rangarajapuram, Gengy Reddy and Madley subways in Chennai remain closed. Traffic police also said that both Alagappa and Loop roads are also closed due to waterlogging.