Cyclone ‘Fengal’ made landfall, with the process beginning at 8:00 pm yesterday and continuing until around 2:00 am. Wind speeds reached 80 to 90 km/h, causing extensive damage along the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In Chennai, electrocution incidents claimed three lives.
The cyclone destroyed houses and uprooted large trees in several areas. Heavy rains wreaked havoc in Chennai, leaving areas like Puducherry, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, and Mahayanapuram heavily affected. Flooded streets disrupted traffic in these regions.
Heavy rains forced the cancellation of the Chennai-Ranchi flight service. Flights at Chennai Airport were initially suspended until 7 pm on Saturday, but authorities extended the suspension until 4 am on Sunday due to high wind speeds. The airport resumed operations after 16 hours of closure.
Similarly, rail travel faced suspensions on several routes. In response, the administration launched rescue operations on a war footing and issued toll-free numbers for affected regions.
The Tamil Nadu government ordered schools and colleges in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, and Chengalpattu districts to close. Additionally, IT companies were advised to enable work-from-home arrangements for employees.