Several neighborhoods in Puducherry resembled an island of sorts, with the streets submerged under water and cars and vehicles floating in various locations. | ANI
Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall near Puducherry on the night of November 30, left a trail of destruction across the coastal regions of Puducherry and north Tamil Nadu. While the storm weakened into a depression by December 1, its aftermath was catastrophic, with torrential rains, flooding, and infrastructure damage paralyzing daily life. The cyclone claimed at least eight lives so far, caused widespread damage to property, crops, and utilities, displaced thousands of residents, and prompted large-scale rescue operations.
Flight operations, which were suspended on Saturday, resumed at Chennai airport at 1 a.m. on Sunday.
Several neighborhoods in Puducherry resembled an island of sorts, with the streets submerged under water and cars and vehicles floating in various locations. Northern districts in Tamil Nadu, including Villupuram, were almost cut off from the rest of the state.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday evening reported that Cyclone Fengal, which initially formed as a strong cyclonic storm, weakened into a deep depression by December 1. By that time, it was centered near Puducherry, approximately 120 km south-southwest of Chennai. Despite its weakened status, Fengal’s influence was still strongly felt, particularly in Puducherry and the northern parts of Tamil Nadu, where the storm brought heavy rainfall, high winds, and significant flooding.
The worst-affected areas included low-lying residential zones like Krishna Nagar, Rainbow Nagar, and Venkata Nagar in Puducherry. These areas were inundated by rising floodwaters, with water levels reaching up to five feet in some places. Streets, homes, and businesses were submerged, and several trees were uprooted, blocking roads and damaging infrastructure. Power outages were widespread, with electricity supply disrupted in most parts of Puducherry, causing further distress to residents.
In the neighboring Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, rainfall was described as “unprecedented” by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. Villupuram recorded over 48 cm of rainfall in just 24 hours, leading to significant waterlogging and structural damage. Several areas, including Marakkanam and Kottakuppam, reported collapsed walls and uprooted trees. More than 1,000 people were evacuated and moved to relief centers across these districts.
Casualties and Rescue Operations
The human toll of the cyclone was significant. Two deaths were reported in Puducherry on December 1, with bodies found in stormwater drains in the Mettupalayam and Sankardass Swamigal Nagar areas. These fatalities brought the total death toll in the region to at least eight. In response to the rising floodwaters and the urgent need for rescue operations, the Indian Army was mobilized to assist in the evacuation efforts.
A Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) column, comprising 62 soldiers, was dispatched from Chennai to Puducherry in the early hours of December 1. Within hours, they rescued hundreds of people stranded in flood-hit areas like Krishnanagar and Jiva Nagar, where the floodwaters were as deep as five feet in some locations.
The rescue operations were led by Major Ajay Sangwan, who reported rescuing 500 individuals within four hours of reaching the affected areas. Rescue operations continued in several parts of Puducherry as well as in the worst-hit parts of Villupuram and Cuddalore districts.
Relief Efforts and Government Response
The government response to the crisis has been swift, with both state and central authorities mobilizing resources for relief and rehabilitation. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin visited the State Emergency Operations Centre in Chennai on December 1 to oversee ongoing efforts. He directed officials to assess the damage caused by the cyclone, particularly to crops, and urged the central government to send a team to evaluate the situation and provide financial assistance.
In Puducherry, nearly 1,000 people were accommodated in relief camps set up in safe zones. Emergency services, including food distribution and medical aid, were provided to those affected. Puducherry Home Minister A. Namassivayam emphasized the need for immediate infrastructure repairs, particularly to power lines and electricity substations, which had been severely damaged.
The Tamil Nadu government has set up 26 relief camps in Villupuram and Cuddalore districts, where 1,373 displaced people have been sheltered. As of December 1, more than 9 lakh food packets had been distributed, and free meals were provided in several government-run Amma Unavagams (canteens). In addition, the state dispatched teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to assist in ongoing relief efforts.
Continuous rainfall in some districts has hampered relief operations, while the extensive damage to infrastructure means that power restoration and road clearance will take time. Agricultural damage caused by the cyclone’s heavy rainfall is yet to be fully assessed, and farmers are facing significant losses, particularly in Villupuram and Cuddalore districts.
