The cyclonic storm ‘Fengal’ made landfall between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram close to Puducherry on Saturday night, bringing very heavy rain to districts along the north Tamil Nadu coast, including Chennai.
Chennai received over 18cm of rainfall in 24 hours from Friday evening to 5.30 pm on Saturday. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said the spiral bands associated with the cyclone had touched land at 6.30 pm and would cross the coast over the next 3 to 4 hours, with a wind speed of 70-80kmph gusting up to 90kmph. The storm was continuously monitored by the doppler weather radar at Chennai.
S Balachandran, director, RMC, told reporters that it was a very dynamic cyclonic storm constantly changing moving speeds.
Officials said all the important lake catchment areas in and around Chennai received good rains boosting the level of water in reservoirs. The rains were not threatening as they occurred in intermittent spells. The rainfall ranged from 10cm to 13cm in most of the weather stations.
In Chennai, the highest rainfall of 13.2cm was recorded by the automatic weather station at Jaya Engineering College, followed by Meenambakkam with 11.4cm, and Nungambakkam with 10.4cm. Puducherry, where the landfall took place, recorded 10.4cm, while the Mailam station in Villupuram recorded 13.6cm. This data is from the 8.30 am to 5.30 pm window on Saturday and the weather by and large cleared up thereafter.
On Sunday, rainfall is expected over Villupuram, Kallakuruchi and Cuddalore districts and Puducherry, where a red alert has been issued. Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Salem, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts and Karaikal region will also experience some showers, the Met said.
Weathermen said squally wind of 55kmph to 65kmph speed, gusting to 75kmph, would persist over north Tamil Nadu coast and wind with speed of 35kmph to 45kmph, gusting to 55 kmph, will prevail over south Tamil Nadu coast, adjoining Comorin area and the Gulf of Mannar. Windy conditions would continue to prevail till December 3, and consequently, fishermen have been advised not to venture out into the sea during this period.
