Chennai: Following heavy rains due to cyclone Fengal that triggered a landslide in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvannamalai on Sunday, seven members of a family, including five children, are believed to be trapped inside a buried house, News 18 reported.
Locals informed authorities that at least seven people were trapped inside the house.
A joint rescue operation was launched by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in response to the situation. They were joined by local rescue teams near the lower slopes of Annamalaiyar Hill. However, rescue efforts were affected by more landslides and heavy rains on Sunday nights. There are around 30 NDRF personnel on the spot.
It was on Saturday night when cyclone Fengal made landfall on the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. It brought heavy rainfall and induced widespread destruction in the region. Three people got electrocuted in separate incidents in Chennai. One of the deceased was a migrant worker, who was trying to withdraw cash from an ATM. His body was found floating nearby.
As the cyclone Fengal brought heavy rain and strong winds, educational institutions remained closed in many areas of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. A red alert is alive in Chennai as well as other coastal districts.
In Puducherry, a record 46 cm of rain has been recorded, which severely disrupted normal life. The previous best rain record here was registered on October 31, 2004. In a joint rescue operation by the Indian Army and the NDRF, around 600 people were rescued from flood-affected areas in the region.