Cyclone Fengal crosses north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, expected to weaken into deep depression
Chennai: 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. As per 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.
Sharing a post on X (formerly Twitter), India Meteorological Department (IMD) wrote, “The Cyclonic Storm FENGAL crossed North Tamil Nadu & Puducherry coasts near latitude 12.05°N and longitude 79.9°E, 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 12.0°N and longitude 79.8°E, close to Puducherry. It will continue to move west-southwestwards slowly and weaken gradually into a deep depression during the next 3 hours,” IMD further stated.
HOURLY UPDATE ON CYCLONIC STORM “FENGAL”
The Cyclonic Storm “FENGAL” [pronounced as FEINJAL] over north coastal Tamilnadu & Puducherry remained practically stationary during past 1 hour and lay centered at 0030 hrs IST of today, the 01st December 2024 over the same region near… pic.twitter.com/fjJRQOaKyf
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 30, 2024
The official statement further stated that residents in the affected areas have been advised to remain indoors and follow all instructions from local authorities to ensure their safety. Additionally, people living in nearby areas have been shifted to relief camps near Kalpakkam in Chengalpattu district, in the wake of Cyclone Fengal.
As Cyclone Fengal began making landfall, Puducherry and several parts of Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rain and gusty winds, disrupting normal lives such as road and air services and affecting normal life.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reviewed the state’s preparedness and precautionary measures in light of the cyclone threat. He visited the Chennai State Operation Center, joined by state ministers KN Nehru and KKSSR Ramachandran.
Through video conferencing, the Chief Minister engaged with District Collectors from Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and other districts to assess on-ground conditions. He assured the public of the government’s vigilant monitoring and proactive measures. Speaking to the media, CM Stalin emphasized that the government has been conducting regular inspections and implementing strategies to minimize the cyclone’s impact.
As Cyclone Fengal began making landfall, heavy rain and winds hit Puducherry and Tamil Nadu, disrupting normal lives. Earlier IMD in a post said, “The Cyclonic Storm ‘FENGAL’ [pronounced as FEINJAL] over the southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-southwestwards at a speed of 7 kmph over the past six hours and was centred at 1730 IST today, November 30, 2024, over the southwest Bay of Bengal, off the north Tamil Nadu coast near latitude 12.2°N and longitude 80.3°E. It was located approximately 40 km from the coast, 50 km south-southeast of Mahabalipuram, 60 km east-northeast of Puducherry, and 90 km south of Chennai.”
HOURLY UPDATE ON CYCLONIC STORM “FENGAL”
The Cyclonic Storm “FENGAL” [pronounced as FEINJAL] over north coastal Tamilnadu & Puducherry remained practically stationary during past 1 hour and lay centered at 0030 hrs IST of today, the 01st December 2024 over the same region near… pic.twitter.com/fjJRQOaKyf
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 30, 2024
Authorities in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu assessed the situation and enforced precautionary measures in response to Cyclone Fengal. Puducherry District Collector A. Kulothungan confirmed that the district administration had undertaken comprehensive preparations to address the cyclone’s impact. While speaking to news agency ANI, Puducherry District Collector A. Kulothungan said, “The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to address the impact of Cyclone Fengal. Furthermore, he stated, “The war room is operational, and relief centres have been established with all necessary arrangements in place. Warning messages have been disseminated, and approximately 4,000 government officials are on duty.”
