Cyclone Fengal: Puducherry announces financial aid, seeks Rs 100 crore from Centre

Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Monday announced a relief package to address the destruction caused by Cyclone Fengal and the torrential rains that recently inundated the union territory. The announcement follows unprecedented rainfall of 48.4 cm in a 24-hour period ending on December 1, described by Rangasamy as “never before witnessed” in the region's history.

Rangasamy confirmed that the cyclone claimed four lives, with their families set to receive a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each. The Chief Minister also announced direct financial assistance of Rs 5,000 for each of the 3.54 lakh families under the public distribution system.

Farmers were among the hardest hit, with 10,000 hectares of farmland damaged. Rangasamy assured affected farmers compensation of Rs 30,000 per hectare. Dairy farmers will be compensated with Rs 40,000 for each cow lost and Rs 20,000 for calves, while fishermen who lost boats will



receive Rs 10,000. Residents whose huts were destroyed will be compensated with Rs 20,000 for fully damaged huts and Rs 10,000 for partially damaged ones.

Rangasamy noted that Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma had submitted an interim report to the Union Home Ministry, seeking Rs 100 crore in central assistance. He also requested the Centre to dispatch a team to assess the widespread damage across sectors.

As part of immediate relief efforts, 208 relief camps have been set up, providing shelter to displaced residents, and over 85,000 food packets have been distributed. Rangasamy urged residents living near the Sankarabarani and Pannaiyar rivers to relocate to safer areas due to water releases from Tamil Nadu’s Sathanur and Veedur dams.

The Chief Minister was joined at the press conference by Agriculture Minister Theni C Djeacoumar, who echoed the call for urgent support to rebuild Puducherry after the disaster.