NEW DELHI: A migrant worker tragically lost his life in Chennai on Saturday after being electrocuted while attempting to withdraw cash from an ATM, as Cyclone Fengal unleashed heavy rains and gusty winds across Tamil Nadu, news agency PTI reported. The cyclone, inching closer to the coastline, caused widespread waterlogging and disruption in the city and surrounding areas.
Cyclone Fengal Live Updates
Hospitals and homes were inundated as rainwater entered premises, including two state-run facilities in Chromepet—a general hospital and a thoracic medicine centre. Patients and healthcare workers navigated ankle-deep water as authorities placed sandbags at entrances to mitigate the flooding. In several suburban neighbourhoods like Velachery-Madipakkam and Kodungaiyur, residents scrambled to protect their belongings, raising appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines onto cots to avoid damage.
Strong winds and heavy rainfall wreaked havoc, knocking down traffic lights in areas like Sriperumbudur and scattering barricades along major roads, including Anna Salai. Public transport services were severely affected, with vehicles parked on flyovers to avoid water damage reminiscent of the 2015 floods.
The Greater Chennai Corporation reported deploying over 22,000 personnel and hundreds of high-capacity motor pumps to drain waterlogged areas. Efforts were also underway to clear fallen trees and debris, with five of nine reported tree falls already addressed.
The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) mobilised teams to monitor flooding at construction sites along Phase 2 corridors. Waterlogging at Karapakkam prompted the use of high-powered pumps to manage the situation.
The IMD forecast further heavy rainfall and strong winds as the cyclone approached landfall. Coastal districts from Tiruvallur to Nagapattinam are bracing for continued disruption, with the system under constant observation.