Assessing cyclone's impact, to send report to Centre: Pondy CM Rangasamy

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy has said that a detailed report was being prepared assessing the extent of damage caused by the Cyclone Fengal and will be sent to the Centre seeking relief.

All schools and colleges remained closed in Puducherry and Karaikal regions on Monday, Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam said in a release.

After making landfall near Puducherry on November 30, Cyclone Fengal weakened on Sunday, but torrential downpour under its influence paralysed the union territory, with the Army stepping in to evacuate stranded persons in inundated streets.

Four people died, officials said without divulging further details.

Power supply which remained suspended for the whole region was restored in a phased manner on Monday morning. Some of the sub stations of the electricity department were water logged and immediate steps were taken to pump out the water, officials said.

Venkata Nagar, Kamaraj Nagar, Vallalar Salai, Kamarajar Salai and a number of residential colonies were water logged and residents stayed indoors, they said.

The chief minister visited rain-ravaged areas in and around Puducherry on Sunday.

The extent of damage caused by the cyclone Fengal and also heavy rainfall in Puducherry and Karaikal regions are being assessed and a report would be sent to the union government, Rangasamy told reporters.

Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan also visited several rain ravaged areas.

Meanwhile, Puducherry district Collector A Kulothungan on Monday said that the union territory recorded the heaviest rainfall and this was the first time that such a heavy downpour was recorded during the last 50 years in Puducherry.

Relief camps were opened and people marooned in the flood were shifted to the camps where food packets were given, he said in a release.

The Collector said that with the help of the National Disaster Response Force team from Arakkonam (Tamil Nadu) and also with the help of the Army personnel deputed by the Defence department, a number of people including senior citizens were evacuated from their houses to the relief camps.

Kulothungan said that voluntary organisations, including the Pondicherry Heritage Round Table 167 volunteered to get ready the food packets and gave them to the inmates of the relief camps.