A holiday has been declared for all government and private schools, as well as colleges, on Tuesday, December 3, due to heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Fengal, according to Puducherry's Education Minister, A. Namachivayam.
In addition, the Puducherry government has announced relief assistance of Rs 5,000 for all ration cardholders affected by the cyclone, as stated by Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy on Monday. "Due to Cyclone Fengal, Puducherry received unexpected rainfall of 48%. The government has decided to provide Rs 5,000 to all affected ration cardholders," Rangaswamy told reporters.
Furthermore, the cyclone has damaged approximately 10,000 hectares of crops across the state. As a result, the government will provide Rs 30,000 per hectare to affected farmers. "Cyclone Fengal has left a trail of destruction in both Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. Recent floods have damaged 50 boats, and the government has announced a relief package of Rs 10,000 for their repair," he added.
The cyclone has resulted in extremely heavy rainfall in the coastal regions of northern Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Particularly hard-hit was the Sankaraparani River area in Puducherry, where over 200 residences in NR Nagar have been inundated. Residents remain stranded as the Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are actively involved in rescue operations.
The Union Territory has experienced severe flooding, especially around the Sankaraparani River, prompting rescue teams to focus on saving lives. Boats have been deployed to navigate the flooded streets and evacuate affected residents.