Chennai, Nov 30: Cyclone Fengal has begun making its landfall near Puducherry late on Saturday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) announced.

According to the IMD, the landfall process is expected to take approximately four hours to complete.

The cyclone is predicted to move west-southwestward, crossing the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, close to Puducherry.

The wind speed during this event is estimated to range between 70-80 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 90 kmph over the next three to four hours.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) at Chennai had earlier said that the landfall process of the slow-moving cyclonic storm could take several hours, bringing heavy to very heavy rainfall during this time. RMC Director S. Balachandran said that Fengal "is a very dynamic cyclonic storm, constantly changing its speed of movement". He said that according to the latest ocean satellite data, the landfall process is expected to commence later on Saturday (November 30) and might take several hours for the storm’s eye to fully move inland. He also said that the mesovortex of the storm is not perfectly round, making it challenging to predict the exact landfall location and the the situation was being continuously monitored, as the storm’s structure changes as it approaches the coast.

The Puducherry administration has sent SMS alerts to nearly 12 lakh residents, urging them to remain vigilant in light of the approaching storm.

Chief Minister N. Rangasamy earlier inspected rain-affected areas to review the actions taken by the Disaster Management Department, particularly the measures to accommodate evacuees from low-lying regions in relief centres.

Chennai Airport has suspended operations until 4 a.m. on December 1, due to heavy runway and taxiway inundation. Over 50 flights have been cancelled.

Public transport services on East Coast Road (ECR) and Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) have been temporarily halted starting Saturday afternoon.

The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) has deployed three disaster relief teams for Chennai and 13 teams for other districts impacted by Cyclone Fengal.

To mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall, the Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Department has established 2,229 relief centres in affected regions. Currently, 471 individuals from 164 families have been relocated to relief camps in the Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts.

Authorities have indicated readiness for further evacuations, if required.

In a public safety advisory, the government has requested IT companies to allow employees to work from home. Residents have been strongly advised to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary.

Parks and beaches in Chennai and adjoining districts are closed, and the TNSDMA has urged the public to avoid visiting beaches, amusement parks, and recreational events.

Greater Chennai Corporation Mayor R. Priya assured the public that the civic body was fully prepared to handle the cyclone and its associated heavy rains.

Warnings have been issued against parking vehicles under trees during heavy rainfall.

Several subways in Chennai, including the RBI Subway, Sundaram Point, Rangarajapuram, Palavanthangal, and Gengu Reddy subways, have been closed due to waterlogging. Light vehicles have been prohibited from using the Duraiswamy and Madley subways.

Additionally, roads such as Prakasam Salai, G.P. Road, Ritherdon Road, and Alagappa Road have been temporarily shut to traffic.

Earlier on Saturday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin stated that the situation is under control in Chennai and other districts experiencing heavy rainfall after reviewing the measures being taken to tackle the cyclone's impact at the State Emergency Operations Centre in Ezhilagam Complex

Stalin noted that people have been moved to relief camps, where food and other essentials are being provided. He also mentioned that he held a review meeting with the Chennai Corporation Commissioner and District Collectors of Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, and Chengalpattu, who updated him on the ground situation and the ongoing relief efforts. The Chief Minister added that there has been no significant waterlogging in Chennai due to the preventive measures undertaken.

--IANS

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