Chennai: Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall in the south coast of India on Saturday evening, caused severe disruption and damages in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
At least 19 people were killed in India and Sri Lanka as heavy rains left many parts of coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry region flooded.
Puducherry experienced the heaviest 24-hour rainfall in 30 years, India Meteorological Department said.
The Army had to be called in, and they played a stellar role in conducting rescue operations in Puducherry.
Hundreds of people were evacuated from flood-hit areas like Krishna Nagar, Kuber Nagar and Jiva Nagar in the Union Territory.
Dozens of soldiers from Chennai Garrison Battalion were deployed to rescue stranded people came to the aid of over 200 in Krishna Nagar and Kuber Nagar alone.
Videos and pictures of the rescue operation, showing Army personnel taking boats through flooded roads and picking up families from their flooded homes, went viral on social media.
Puducherry chief minister N Rangasamy said that the city received 50 centimetres of rainfall overnight, which led to flooding.
“I inspected the flood-affected areas. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to evacuate those stranded in the floodwaters,” Rangasamy told ANI.