Fengal weakens; Puducherry, TN reel after heavy downpour

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

- Press Trust of India

Villupuram in neighboring Tamil Nadu also suffered following heavy rains and inundation, with chief minister MK Stalin terming the rainfall in the district as "unprecedented".

Late on Sunday night, officials in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu said that about five to seven people were feared trapped after a large boulder fell on their houses on the lower slopes of the famous Annamalaiyar Hill following heavy rainfall in the district.

The rescue operations are currently underway by the authorities even as the town witnessed heavy downpour, an official said.

Earlier, operations at the Chennai airport, which were suspended since Saturday, resumed past midnight but many flights saw cancellations and delays initially, officials said. However, later in the day, operations were normal.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Fengal has weakened into a deep depression.