The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain alert for several regions of South India, including North Interior Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, as the remnants of Cyclone Fengal continue to impact the region. The low-pressure area, a remnant of Cyclone Fengal, persists over North Interior Tamil Nadu and is expected to bring heavy rainfall on December 3.
The IMD reported that the low-pressure system is likely to move into the southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea off the north Kerala-Karnataka coasts by December 3. While heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast for several areas on December 2, the rainfall intensity is expected to reduce by December 3, with isolated heavy rainfall continuing.
In Kerala, heavy to very heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy falls in isolated locations, is expected on December 2, with heavy rain continuing on December 3. Similarly, South Interior Karnataka is likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy falls at isolated places on December 2, followed by isolated heavy rainfall on December 3. Coastal Karnataka is also on alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall on December 2, with a decrease to isolated heavy rainfall the following day.
The remnants of Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall recently, have already caused severe flooding in coastal areas of North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In particular, the Sankaraparani River in Puducherry overflowed, inundating over 200 residences in NR Nagar. Residents remain stranded, with the Indian Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) actively engaged in rescue operations.
As of 11:30 PM on December 1, the depression, a remnant of Cyclone Fengal, was centered over north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, moving west-northwestward at a speed of 7 km/h. The IMD indicated that the depression was located approximately 40 km northwest of Villupuram, 70 km west-northwest of Puducherry, 80 km northwest of Cuddalore, and 140 km southwest of Chennai.
The IMD further said that the system is expected to weaken gradually into a well-marked low-pressure area over north interior Tamil Nadu, with the remnants moving towards the Arabian Sea by December 3. The situation is being closely monitored by the Doppler Weather Radar at Karaikal.
(Inputs from ANI)