Cyclone Fengal: Top news you need to know

1. Helpline numbers

Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA)

State helpline - 1070
District helpline - 1077
WhatsApp number - 9445869848

Southern Railway passenger assistance

Comm control - 044 25330952 / 044 25330953
Central - 044 25354140 / 044 25322277
Egmore - 9003161811
Tambaram - 8610459668
Chengalpattu - 9345962113
Perambur - 9345962147

Chennai

Tollfree - 1913
WhatsApp - 9445551913
Mobile app: Namma Chennai

Chengalpattu

Tollfree - 1070
District helpline - 1077
WhatsApp - 9445869848

2. Weather update

Cyclonic storm Fengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph during the past six hours over Southwest Bay of Bengal as of 11.30 a.m. today (November 30), about 100 km east-northeast of Puducherry, 100 km southeast of Chennai, 190 km north-northeast of Nagappattinam and 420 km north of Trincomalee.

It is likely to move westwards and cross north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram close to Puducherry as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph during Saturday evening.

The RMC has predicted possibility of slow movement of the system while approaching the coasts.

3. Amma Unavagams

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has announced that food will be provided free of cost at Amma canteens across Chennai on Saturday.

4. Chennai airport operations

The Chennai airport has been shut down and all departure and arrival flights have been suspended from 12.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. due to adverse weather conditions.

Earlier in the day, IndiGo Airlines said it has temporarily suspended all arrival and departure flight operations at the Chennai airport.

Nine flights from destinations including Tiruchi, Thoothukudi, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, New Delhi, Port Blair, Colombo, and Hyderabad were diverted to the Bengaluru airport.

To help stranded air passenger commute, Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) operates chartered buses from airport to Chennai Central railway station, Kilambakkam, Broadway and Koyambedu bus termini.

5. Train services

Owing to heavy rains and waterlogging caused by Cyclone Fengal, Chennai Beach - Tambaram EMU services will be operated between Chennai Beach and Pallavaram. Chengalpattu - Chennai Beach EMU train service will be operated between Chengalpattu and Vandalur.

Due to strong winds, suburban services between Chennai Beach and Velachery in the MRTS section have been suspended from 12:15 p.m.

6. Subway closures

As of 1 p.m., seven subways in Chennai have been closed due to waterlogging.

They include RBI subway, Sundaram point, Rangarajapuram, Palavanthangal, Gengu Reddy subway, Madley subway (closed for light vehicles), Duraisamy subway (closed for light vehicles).

7. Chennai’s rainfall data

Data since 8.30 am

Kolapakkam: 10.25 cm
Meenambakkam: 10.2 cm
Nungambakkam: 9.7 cm
Nandanam: 8.2 cm

8. Relief centres

As many as 198 relief centres have been set up across all the 15 zones of Greater Chennai Corporation, with a capacity to accommodate 36,250 persons.

Published - November 30, 2024 03:46 pm IST