Indian Army conducts multiple rescue operations in Puducherry

PUDUCHERRY: The Indian Army conducted multiple rescue operations on Sunday across several flood-hit areas in Puducherry, including Krishna Nagar, Kuber Nagar, and Jiva Nagar, following severe flooding caused by Cyclone Fengal in many districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

The operations have evacuated hundreds of residents from these inundated areas and saved over 200 lives in Krishna Nagar and Kuber Nagar alone.
Rescue efforts are going on in Jiva Nagar, with 30 soldiers who have been deployed to help all those people who are stranded. Evacuation operations in other vulnerable areas are on.
Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Sunday said that the city has received 50 centimetres of rainfall overnight which has led to flooding. Rescue teams are working to evacuate stranded people, he added.

"Puducherry has received 50 cm of rainfall, resulting in severe flooding. I am currently inspecting the flood-affected areas. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to evacuate those stranded in the floodwaters," Chief Minister N Rangasamy told ANI.
It caused extremely heavy rain in Cyclone Fengal, bringing 48.4 centimeters of rain in 24 hours till 8:30 am on December 1 for Puducherry Union Territory; it was the highest amount of cumulative 24-hour rain in the last 30 years between years 1995 to 2024.

Indian Army troops belonging to the Chennai Garrison Battalion under the Dakshin Bharat Area have been deployed during the wee hours of Sunday to participate in rescue work in Puducherry, which was badly hit by floods.
A Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief column consisting of one officer, six Junior commissioned officers and 62 other ranks was requisitioned by the Puducherry District Collector around 1 am. The team left Chennai at 2 am and covered a distance of 160 kilometres overnight, reaching Puducherry around 5:30 am.

The team led by Major Ajay Sangwan was briefed about the critical situation in the Krishna Nagar area upon reaching Puducherry. The water level in some localities of Krishna Nagar rose to nearly five feet, leaving residents of nearly 500 houses stranded. The efforts made by the Indian Army during its rescue operations started at 6:15 am, with over 100 individuals being evacuated in the first two hours.

The team was led by Mahor Ajay Sangwan and was briefed of the critical situation in the city. The rescue operation was initiated at Krishna Nagar at 6:15 am, where water levels had gone up to nearly five feet. Residents of 500 houses were left stranded in this scenario. Within the first two hours, more than 100 individuals were being evacuated.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday visited the state emergency operation centre to carry out an inspection of the ongoing relief work. He appealed to the Union government to send a central team to inspect the situation and crop damage due to Cyclone Fengal.

The CM visited several places in the Kolathur assembly constituency. Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran and other Disaster Management Department Secretaries accompanied him.

CM Stalin said that nearly 27,000 people have received food packets prepared by Amma canteens since Saturday. Of 23 subways in Chennai, nearly 21 have been cleared of water, he added.

The India Meteorological Department reported that Cyclone Fengal has not moved for the last six hours near the union territory nearly 30 kilometers north of Cuddalore and 40 kilometers east of Villupuram.

The IMD also mentioned that at 5:30 in the morning, the cyclone has not shifted in the last six hours and is stationary 120 kilometers south-southwest of Chennai.

Indian Army troops from Chennai Garrison swiftly responded to Cyclone Fengal rescue operations in Puducherry, saving over 100 stranded civilians in Krishnanagar, Puducherry.#FengalCyclone #Armyrescue #Cyclone pic.twitter.com/gBrgcG11qG

— AIR News Puducherry (@airnews_puduvai) December 1, 2024