Cyclone Fengal remains stationary for six hours, says IMD

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 1 (ANI): Cyclone Fengal that made landfall in the coasts of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu remains stationary for the last six hours close to the union territory nearly 30 kilometres north of Cuddalore and 40 kms east of Villupuram.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that as of 5:30 am, the cyclone has not moved in the past six hours and remains stationary 120 kilometres south-southwest of Chennai.
It is expected to move westward slowly and likely to weaken into a deep depression over north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the next six hours, as per IMD. The weather department has issued a red alert for north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh.
"The Cyclonic Storm Fengal over north coastal Tamil Nadu & Puducherry remained stationary during past 6 hours and lay centred at 0530 hours IST of today, the 1st December 2024 over the same region near latitude 12.0°N and longitude 79.8°E, close to Puducherry, about 30 km north of Cuddalore, 40 km east of Villupuram and 120 km south-southwest of Chennai. It is likely to move westwards slowly and weaken gradually into a deep depression over north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during the next 6 hours. The system is being continuously monitored," IMD said.
After Cyclone Fengal made landfall yesterday, the beaches in Chennai witnessed high tides and rough sea conditions this morning. The weather forecast issued by the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) predicted "isolated heavy to very heavy" rainfall in Chennai for Sunday.
Rough sea conditions were seen on the beaches of Chennai including Marina, Pattinapakkam and Elliot's Beach. Due to strong winds, the beach sand came to the Pattinapakkam beach road due to high tide. The Greater Chennai Corporation staff cleared the sand from the Pattinapakkam beach road with the help of JCB.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the winds reached 70-80 kilometres per hour to 90 kmph in the coastal districts of north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh.
"It is likely to decrease from night of 30th November and becoming squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph from morning of 1st December and decrease gradually further thereafter," the bulletin released by IMD read.
Isolated places over north Tamil Nadu are likely to witness "heavy to very heavy rainfall" today. The weather department had informed that the wind speed along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts would reach "70-80 kilometres per hour gusting to 90 kmph".
"It is likely to prevail till the night of November 30 and gradually decrease thereafter," IMD said in its National Bulletin. (ANI)