LIVE: Cyclone Fengal wreaks havoc, three people dead so far, Chennai airport reopens

Cyclone Fengal LIVE:  Cyclone Fengal brought heavy rains to northern Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, which continued this morning. Fengal made landfall close to the Puducherry coast on Saturday. The rains caused by the cyclone forced the Chennai airport to be closed, with many parts of the city waterlogged. Flight operations resumed at Chennai International Airport at 4.00 am today. Services have been suspended since yesterday due to the cyclone.

Three people have died so far.

Three people have died in Chennai due to heavy rains caused by Cyclone Fengal, an lightning in separate incidents. Heavy rains led to flooding in many parts of the city. However, there were no immediate reports of any major damage in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, where the Indian Army rescued more than 100 people from the flooded area in the Union Territory.

A red alert was issued for heavy rain.

Cyclone Fengal completed the landfall process at around 2 am on Sunday, the IMD said. After landfall, Cyclone Fengal is forecast to move west-southwestwards and gradually weaken into a deep depression within the next six hours. Heavy rainfall is expected in Tamil Nadu for the next 48 hours. Chennai airport had suspended all its operations till 4 am on Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for many parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. High tides and heavy rainfall are predicted in the region.

10 points 

1. Cyclone Fengal’s landfall has begun near the coast of Puducherry. The IMD said that the cyclonic storm is likely to cross the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the next three to four hours. 

    

2.  Heavy rains and strong winds caused by the storm continue to wreak havoc. Flight and train services have been canceled in Chennai.
3. ​​In a rain-related incident, a migrant worker died after he was reportedly struck by lightning while trying to withdraw cash from an ATM in Chennai.
4. Cyclone Fengal crossed north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts close to Puducherry. During this time the wind speed reached 90 kmph It was centered over north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, close to Puducherry yesterday. It will continue to move slowly west-southwestwards and will gradually weaken into a deep depression during the next 3 hours.
5. After landfall, it will continue to move west-southwestwards and gradually weaken into a deep depression during the next 6 hours. The system is being continuously monitored by Doppler weather radar in Chennai. Heavy rains inundated parts of Chennai airport as Cyclone Fengal approaches Puducherry coast.
6. Operations at the Chennai airport remained suspended, while people living in low-lying areas in neneighboringnion Territory Puducherry were evacuated to safer places. 
7. In Puducherry, NDRF teams have arrived from Arakkonam to join the relief and rehabilitation operations. According to District Collector Kulothungan, Cyclone ‘Fengal’ had crossed the coast by yesterday evening. The entire road and many tourist places near the coast have been closed to prevent people from going near the beaches. Schools and colleges remained closed on Saturday as well.
8. The speed of local trains in Chennai has also slowed down. Southern Railway has also announced changes in train schedules and termination of train operations in some places in a givene situation.
9. The forecast advised fishermen to stay away from the beaches and predicted sea waves as high as one meter (three feet), posing a risk of flooding in low-lying coastal areas.
10. Cyclone Fengal hit the coast of Sri Lanka earlier this week, killing at least 12 people, including six children.