Cyclone Fengal: IMD issues heavy rain alert in Tamil Nadu; schools, colleges closed

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh due to a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal that is likely to intensify into Cyclone Fengal on Wednesday, November 27.

The cyclonic storm warning has prompted the closure of schools and colleges in several Tamil Nadu districts including Trichy, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Thiruvallur, Ramanathapuram, and Villupuram due to the expected severity of the weather conditions in the region.

The weather system is currently about 670 km off the Chennai coast and moving towards Tamil Nadu. IMD has said it is expected to develop into a cyclonic storm as it approaches the coasts of southeastern Indian states.

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According to the met department, the storm is moving northwards at the speed of 10 km/h and is located “about 190 km southeast of Trincomalee, 470 km southeast of Nagappattinam, 580 km south-southeast of Puducherry and 670 km south-southeast of Chennai”.

“It is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm on 27th November. Thereafter, it will continue to move north-northwestwards towards Tamil Nadu coast skirting Sri Lanka coast during subsequent 2 days,” IMD said on X.

The storm is expected to cause flooding in low-lying areas in the region and bring strong winds of about 45-55 km/h with gusts up to 65 km/h. It will also likely disrupt marine activities as the sea will be rough, said IMD.

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Rescue teams deployed

Tamil Nadu Cheif Minister MK Stalin held a high-level meeting with the District Magistrates of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, and Villupuram to discuss the rescue and relief of people living in the affected areas.

"As a heavy rain warning has been issued, I have held a review meeting with the District Collectors of Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Cuddalore to be ready and to instruct the Ministers to work from the field. The government is ready to face the rain. I request the public to be safe while going out," Stalin said on X.

Additionally, 17 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been deployed in the regions that are likely to be hit by the cyclonic storm. 

Moderate rainfall was recorded in several parts of Tamil Nadu as the storm approaches its coasts.

(With inputs from agencies)