Pondy govt to asses damages unseen in last 50 years, pins hope on Centre's aid

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

Authorities said Puducherry hasn't seen such devastation in the last 50 years.

Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam said in a release that all schools and colleges remained closed on Monday in the Puducherry and Karaikal regions.

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

Four people died in rain-related incidents, officials said without divulging details.

The power supply, which remained suspended for the whole region, was restored in a phased manner on Monday morning. Some of the electricity department's substations were waterlogged, and immediate steps were taken to pump out the water, officials said.

They said Venkata Nagar, Kamaraj Nagar, Vallalar Salai, Kamarajar Salai, and a number of residential colonies were waterlogged, and residents stayed indoors.

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

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

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 in Puducherry during the last 50 years.

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

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

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