Cyclone Fengal: Unprecedented rainfall paralyses life in Puducherry

Normal life was crippled in Puducherry on Sunday due to heavy rains that lashed the union territory in the wake of Cyclone Fengal, which crossed the coast here on November 30 night.

According to India Meteorological Department, Puducherry recorded 46 cm rainfall during the last 24 hours ending 9 am today.

Cyclone Fengal triggered heavy rainfall leading to inundation of all residential areas on the outskirts Of boulevard limits. Trees were uprooted at various places under the impact of the cyclonic storm. Power outage was reported in most of the localities since 11 pm on Saturday.

Many housing colonies were waterlogged and residents could not step out of the dwellings for hours together. Two-wheelers and cars parked on roads partially submerged in rainwater that entered several houses here, residents said.

All shops and business establishments remained closed and the government set up relief centers to accommodate people evacuated from low-lying areas.

Senior citizens opined that such fury of nature was witnessed over three decades ago in the union territory.

Main thoroughfares and arterial roads were waterlogged disrupting daily life. Farmlands with standing crops bore the brunt of the heavy rain.

Transport services were hit and voluntary organisations like Pondicherry Heritage Round Table 167 volunteered to supplement the efforts of the government to supply food packets to people staying in relief camps.

Officials said rescue operations are under way in multiple affected areas and hundreds of residents were evacuated from flood-hit areas.

The operations have been conducted efficiently with the coordinated efforts of the local administration, police forces, Army and specialized rescue teams.

Efforts are ongoing in Jeeva Nagar and other vulnerable areas to evacuate people and provide necessary relief, they said.

Meanwhile, operations at the Chennai airport, which had been suspended on Sunday, resumed past midnight but many flights suffered cancellations and delays, officials said.

As many as 24 domestic services were cancelled and 26 international flights, both arriving and departing were delayed, they said.