Cyclone Fengal which triggered heavy rains across Sri Lanka, has killed at least 2 people in India and caused flooding in Tamil Nadu state and the Puducherry region after crossing India’s southern coast from the Bay of Bengal on Saturday.
Puducherry had been hit by the heaviest 24-hour rainfall in 30 years, India’s weather office said on Sunday.
The cyclone has left parts of the southern city of Chennai inundated. Flights from the city were temporarily suspended on Saturday, but had resumed as of early Sunday morning, the Indian media reported.
Visuals on local media showed gusty winds and heavy rainfall with roads submerged and boats being used to rescue people. The Indian army was running relief operations in Puducherry for people in the eye of the storm, while rainfall eased in Chennai.
The rain has left areas in central Chennai, including Korattur, Koyambedu, Virugambakkam, Nungambakkam, T. Nagar and Alwarpet, inundated.
In Sri Lanka, 17 people were killed, with heavy rains and having a total of 143,726 people from 53,888 families displaced, seeking refuge in shelters and relatives’ homes, according to latest data from the Disaster Management Centre.
–With agencies inputs