Amid the extensive flooding across many districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry due to Cyclone Fengal, the Indian Army has been actively conducting rescue operations to assist affected residents. On Sunday, troops successfully rescued over 100 individuals in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The Indian Army’s efforts targeted flood-hit locations such as Krishna Nagar, Kuber Nagar, and Jiva Nagar. In total, the operations managed to evacuate hundreds of residents, with more than 200 lives saved in the Krishna Nagar and Kuber Nagar areas alone. As the day progressed, the focus of the rescue efforts shifted to Jiva Nagar, where a deployment of 30 soldiers was stationed to aid those still stranded.
Puducherry’s Chief Minister, N. Rangasamy, provided an update, stating that the city experienced a staggering 50 centimeters of rainfall overnight, contributing to the severe flooding situation. He underscored the dedicated efforts of rescue teams working tirelessly to evacuate residents trapped in the floodwaters. “Puducherry has received 50 cm of rainfall, resulting in severe flooding. I am currently inspecting the flood-affected areas,” Rangasamy remarked, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Cyclone Fengal has unleashed extraordinary rainfall upon Puducherry, which recorded a historical 48.4 centimeters over a 24-hour period until 8:30 am on December 1, marking the highest cumulative rainfall in the area in three decades.
The Indian Army troops, operating under the Dakshin Bharat Area and from the Chennai Garrison Battalion, were mobilized early on Sunday morning to assist with the rescue operations in the flood-ravaged regions. After a request for assistance was made by the Puducherry District Collector around 1 am, a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) team—comprising one officer, six Junior Commissioned Officers, and 62 other soldiers—was promptly deployed. They departed from Chennai at 2 am, covering a distance of 160 kilometers and reaching Puducherry by 5:30 am.
Upon their arrival, led by Major Ajay Sangwan, the team was briefed about the situation in Krishna Nagar, where water levels had risen to almost five feet, stranding residents of approximately 500 houses. The rescue operations commenced at 6:15 am, resulting in the evacuation of over 100 individuals within just the first two hours.
In parallel, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin conducted an inspection of the state emergency operation center to oversee ongoing relief efforts. He urged the Union government to dispatch a central team to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Fengal, emphasizing the need for support in dealing with the aftermath. During his visit to the Kolathur assembly constituency, he noted that nearly 27,000 individuals had received food packets from Amma canteens since Saturday, and reported that 21 of the city’s 23 subways had been cleared of water.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Cyclone Fengal had been stationary for the past six hours, located approximately 30 kilometers north of Cuddalore and 40 kilometers east of Villupuram, remaining 120 kilometers south-southwest of Chennai as of 5:30 am.
Rescue teams continue to work diligently to reach those still impacted by the flooding, showcasing the urgency and solidarity of both the Indian Armed Forces and local government officials in responding to this calamity.
