With the deep depression in the Bay of Bengal expected to transition into Cyclone Fengal and hit the Tamil Nadu coast on Wednesday (Nov. 27), the Tamil Nadu government is fully geared to face the situation, particularly in the Cauvery Delta region.
The IMD has predicted heavy rains till November 29 across the state and in the Union Territory of Puducherry. On Tuesday, widespread intermittent rains, induced by the depression, lashed Chennai city, causing traffic congestion and affecting normal life in many areas.
Several districts of Tamil Nadu, particularly Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, and Nagapattinam in the delta region, as well as Cuddalore and the Karaikal region of Puducherry, were battered by heavy rains, induced by the deep depression. Standing crops in vast tracts of land remain inundated and many low-lying residential areas were threatened with flooding. Schools in the Delta region, which remained closed on Tuesday, will reopen after further orders from the respective district administrations.
In view of the anticipated heavy downpour in the delta region, seven NDRF teams, with 30 rescuers per team, have been stationed in the said districts. The state government had set up relief centres and shelters besides 24X7 medical teams in advance. Chief Minister MK Stalin held a meeting via video conference with the District Collectors of the delta region, the rice bowl of the state, to ascertain the preparedness to face the cyclone and its aftermath.
“The landfall of Fengal hasn’t been predicted so far, but the Delta region will receive very heavy rainfall,” said S Balachandran, Director, Southern Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC). “It is moving at a pace of 12 km per hour. Cuddalore, Karaikal, and Mayiladuthurai will experience extremely heavy rains on November 27,” he added. In October this year, Cyclone Dana spared Chennai by moving away to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts. However, the city was lashed with a heavy downpour.