Cyclone Fengal aftermath: Unprecedented flooding hits Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram, railway suspends operation

Villupuram district in northern Tamil Nadu continued to grapple with unprecedented flooding today, triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall. The downpours effectively cut off access to villages and residential areas as roads and bridges were submerged, while large areas of standing crops were inundated. Rail and road traffic were severely impacted, leaving passengers stranded. 

In several parts of Villupuram and the neighboring Cuddalore district vehicles were submerged in up to two feet of water with many roads completely submerged. The Thenpennai River overflowed and trees were uprooted in many areas. In Aragandanallur, Villupuram, many houses were nearly submerged as water levels rose above four feet. 

The floods also affected Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts in western Tamil Nadu, where rainfall reached unprecedented levels. Uthangarai in Krishnagiri recorded a massive 50 cm of rain, while Villupuram received up to 42 cm, and Harur in Dharmapuri saw 33 cm. Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai recorded 16 cm between 8:30 am on December 1 and 8:30 am the following day. 

The floods swept several vehicles, including cars and vans, into low-lying areas at Uthangarai, leaving residents stunned. Road access to Krishnagiri and Tiruvannamalai from Uthangarai was severely affected due to the flooding. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the extreme rainfall was caused by the remnants of Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall near Puducherry on the night of November 30. 

In Villupuram, an arterial bridge between Vikravandi and Mundiyampakkam was submerged, prompting Southern Railway to suspend services on the key stretch. This led to cancellations, diversions, and short-terminations of express and superfast trains with passengers flocking to bus stations throwing traffic out of gear on the busy Chennai-Tiruchirappalli national highway around Villupuram. 

A railway official suggested that services would resume once safety conditions allowed. 

Villupuram, a vital link between Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu, was severely impacted. The town is approximately 160 km from the state capital.

Many villages, especially around Aarani in Tiruvannamalai district, were cut off due to damaged bridges. Floodwaters also entered the Gingee government hospital, forcing authorities to move patients to other facilities. Floodwaters surged into low-lying areas, inundating localities in Villupuram, nearby towns, and parts of Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts. 

The Pochampalli police station in Krishnagiri was also submerged with water flowing powerfully around the premises. 

Chief Minister M K Stalin visited Villupuram today and interacted with residents and distributed relief. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin also conducted an inspection. AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami visited Krishnagiri urging the government to compensate affected farmers and others. He also called for compensation to be provided to vehicle owners, many of whom rely on their vehicles for business. 

The depression that caused the flooding, the remnant of Cyclone Fengal, weakened into a well-marked low pressure area on December 2, according to the IMD. The IMD stated that the remnant low-pressure system was expected to emerge over the southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea off the coasts of northern Kerala and Karnataka around December 3.