Cyclone Fengal Looms: Tamil Nadu on High Alert as IMD Predicts Heavy Downpours.
As a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal intensifies into a cyclonic storm, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai has issued a red alert for several districts in Tamil Nadu on November 28 and 29.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has confirmed that the system, christened Cyclone Fengal, is expected to move towards the Tamil Nadu coast, skirting the Sri Lankan landmass, over the next two days.
Anticipating heavy to very heavy rainfall across the state, authorities have declared holidays for schools and colleges in several districts, including Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and the Delta districts of Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Villupuram. Educational institutions in Karaikal and Puducherry will also remain closed.
The forecast has led to significant flight disruptions at the Chennai airport, with heavy rains lashing several parts of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. The IMD has predicted that the heavy downpours are likely to continue for the next three days.
In Mayiladuthurai, an old house collapsed due to the incessant rains, underscoring the potential threat posed by the impending cyclonic storm.
According to the latest updates, the deep depression has already intensified into a cyclone and is likely to make landfall between Puducherry and Chennai or extend beyond Tamil Nadu into Andhra Pradesh.
The IMD has warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall, with the possibility of extremely heavy downpours in Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, and the Karaikal region.
