3 min readChennaiUpdated: Dec 3, 2024 09:32 AM IST
Villupuram: NDRF personnel conduct rescue and relief work in a flood hit area in the aftermath of Cyclone Fengal, at Arakandanallur in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (PTI Photo)
Cyclone Fengal, which wreaked havoc across 14 districts of Tamil Nadu, has left over 1.5 crore individuals and 69 lakh families grappling with extensive destruction, according to the state government. On Monday, Chief Minister M K Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking immediate relief of Rs 2,000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund to address the disaster’s fallout.
The cyclone, which began as a low-pressure system on November 23, intensified before landfall on December 1. It unleashed torrential rains and wind speed of 90 km/hour in districts such as Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, and Tiruvannamalai. Interior districts like Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Ranipet, Vellore and Tirupattur were also severely affected.
“The cyclone has caused unprecedented devastation across 14 districts of Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said.
He wrote that the state government has mobilised all available resources to provide relief and rehabilitation to the affected population. “Senior ministers and officers have been deputed to oversee operations in the districts, while nine teams from the National Disaster Response Force and nine teams from the State Disaster Response Force have been deployed. A dedicated workforce comprising 38,000 government officials and 1,12,000 trained first responders are actively engaged in rescue and relief operations,” Stalin wrote.
Relief measures include the establishment of shelters for displaced families and the distribution of food packets.
Stalin’s letter also spoke about the impact of the cyclone on infrastructure, agriculture, and livelihoods. “The catastrophic event has resulted in the loss of 12 human lives, 2,416 huts, 721 houses and 963 cattle, inundation of 2,11,139 hectares of agricultural and horticultural land, damage to 9,576 km of roads, 1,847 culverts and 417 tanks, destruction of 1,649 km of electric conductors, 23,664 electric poles and 997 transformers, severe impairment of 1,650 panchayat buildings, 4,269 anganwadi centres, 205 primary health centres, 5,936 school buildings, 381 community halls and 623 water supply schemes,” he wrote.
Stalin called for swift action by the Union government to help Tamil Nadu recover from the disaster’s impact. “The state government has carried out an initial assessment of these damages and estimated that Rs 2,475 crores is required for temporary restoration efforts. Despite our best efforts, the scale of this disaster has overwhelmed the state’s resources and it needs urgent financial assistance to manage the fallout of this natural disaster,” Stalin wrote.
Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority.
Expertise
Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews.
Key Coverage Areas:
State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor.
Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties.
Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu.
Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail.
His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.
Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More
