 "Cyclone Fengal hits Tamil Nadu: 15 million affected, CM demands Rs 2,000 cr")
Cyclone Fengal, which struck Tamil Nadu after intensifying from a low-pressure system on November 23, has caused widespread devastation across 14 districts. The storm, which made landfall on December 1, unleashed torrential rains and winds reaching speeds of 90 kmph, severely impacting both coastal and interior regions of the state. The fallout has left more than 15 million individuals and 6.9 million families struggling to cope with the damage, as the state government rushes to provide relief and restoration.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting immediate financial assistance of Rs 2,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). In his letter, Stalin emphasised the catastrophic nature of the cyclone’s impact, describing it as an unprecedented disaster that has overwhelmed the state’s resources.
“The cyclone has caused unprecedented devastation across 14 districts of Tamil Nadu,” Stalin stated, urging the central government to expedite relief efforts.
Devastation across TN: Impact and relief operations
The worst-hit districts include Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, and Tiruvannamalai, along with interior areas such as Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Ranipet, Vellore, and Tirupattur. The storm caused severe infrastructure damage, destroyed agricultural land, and disrupted daily life for millions. Stalin also outlined the staggering scale of destruction in his letter, detailing significant losses in both human lives and vital infrastructure:
- 12 lives lost
- 2,416 huts and 721 houses destroyed
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- 963 cattle killed
- 2,11,139 hectares of agricultural land inundated
- 9,576 km of roads damaged
- 1,847 culverts, 417 tanks, and 9,576 km of electric conductors destroyed
- 23,664 electric poles, 997 transformers, and severe damage to 1,650 panchayat buildings
- 4,269 anganwadi centres, 205 primary health centres, and 5,936 school buildings severely impaired
- 381 community halls and 623 water supply schemes affected
In response to the widespread destruction, Stalin assured that the Tamil Nadu government had mobilised all available resources for rescue and relief efforts. “Senior ministers and officers have been deputed to oversee operations in the affected districts, and nine teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and nine from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed. A dedicated workforce of 38,000 government officials and 1,12,000 trained first responders are actively engaged in relief operations,” the chief minister said.
The state government has also set up shelters for displaced families and is distributing food packets to those affected.
Stalin further emphasised that, despite their best efforts, the scale of the disaster has exceeded the state's capacity to manage the recovery. “The state government has carried out an initial assessment of these damages and estimates that Rs 2,475 crore is required for temporary restoration efforts,” he wrote, highlighting the urgent need for additional financial assistance to support Tamil Nadu’s recovery process.