Cyclone Fengal: Heavy rain alert for Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh on December 2

Cyclone Fengal, which struck southern India on November 30, continues to cause heavy rain and disrupt the region. According to reports from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the depression, the remnant of the cyclonic storm, moved west-southwestwards and turned into a Well Marked Low-Pressure Area over North Interior Tamil Nadu on Monday, December 2.

Heavy rain had already caused numerous districts in Tamil Nadu, including Cuddalore, Villupuram, and Krishnagiri, to close educational institutions. The Met Office issued a yellow warning for parts of Telangana districts, including Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mulugu and Jayashankar Bhupalpally.

The cyclone has caused a significant amount of disruption in this region, waterlogging and other power outages in multiple areas due to heavy rains and strong winds. Farming has taken a hard hit, the irrigation canals and crop damage mainly due to these heavy rains.

Tobacco farmers in the Nellore district, too, are worried because the heavy rainfall is expected to hit their crops when they are in the sensitive "Telugu" stage. In Kandukur, green gram farmers are faced with a precarious situation wherein their crops are at flowering and pod stages.

The IMD has forecasted that the remnant low-pressure area is likely to emerge over the southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea off the north Kerala-Karnataka coasts around December 3. It has warned of further heavy rainfall in the region.

Affected Areas and Rainfall

Nellore district: 43.5 mm average rainfall, with Manubolu Mandal recording the highest rainfall of 15 cm.
Tirupati district: 11 cm average rainfall, maximum recorded at Narayanavanam, 18 cm
Tamil Nadu: holiday in Cuddalore, Villupuram, and Krishnagiri districts for schools due to heavy rain.

Precautions and Warnings

A yellow alert has been issued for Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts in Telangana.
Cautionary message to citizens: the storm is going to cause huge disruptions all over.
Authorities are on high alert to check any breach in embankments.

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