Cyclone Fengal: As severe waves brought a buoy ashore at Chennai's Marina Beach on Wednesday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal is intensifying into a cyclone. The system is expected to move toward Tamil Nadu, skirting the Sri Lankan coast, over the next two days.
Anticipating heavy to very heavy rainfall across Tamil Nadu, holidays have been declared 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.
Cyclone Fengal
- Heavy rains lead to significant flight disruptions at Chennai airport. Several regions in Tamil Nadu experienced intense rainfall on Tuesday with the IMD predicting heavy downpours for the next three days. The forecast comes as a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm starting on Wednesday.
- In Tamil Nadu's Mayiladuthurai, an old house collapsed due to heavy rains earlier on Wednesday.
- Severe waves bring a buoy ashore at Marina Beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai has issued a red alert for several districts on November 28 and 29, as per a report on IANS. While the developing cyclone is moving closer to Tamil Nadu its exact landfall location remains uncertain. Current predictions suggest it could make landfall anywhere between Puducherry and Chennai or extend beyond Tamil Nadu into Andhra Pradesh.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast across Tamil Nadu over the next three days with the heaviest downpours expected in coastal regions and delta districts.
- On Wednesday IMD said, "Heavy to very heavy rain at a few places with extremely heavy rain at one or two places is likely to occur over Cuddalore & Mayiladuthurai districts and Karaikal area."