KARAIKAL: A total of 18 fishermen from Puducherry and Tamil Nadu who ventured into sea from Karaikal in a mechanised boat on Sunday night were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy early on Tuesday for alleged poaching.

Puducherry bore the brunt of Cyclone Fengal’s fury, recording 490 mm of rainfall by Sunday morning — the UT’s highest 24-hour total in three decades.

Flight operations, which were suspended on Saturday, resumed at Chennai airport at 1 a.m. on Sunday. Several neighborhoods in Puducherry resembled an island of sorts, with the streets submerged under water and cars and vehicles floating in various locations.

Amid persistent heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions, authorities have ordered the closure of schools across several regions in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala. The precautionary measure aims to ensure the safety of students amid challenging weather conditions caused by Cyclone Fengal.

Cyclonic Storm Fengal is expected to hit the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram on Saturday evening, with wind speed

Cyclone Fengal is set to make landfall near Puducherry, affecting Tamil Nadu's coastal regions with heavy rain and flight disruptions. Authorities have issued warnings, urging fishermen to avoid the sea and closing tourist spots.

Cyclone Fengal made landfall on November 30 along the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, causing widespread flooding and damage.

Fengal cyclone brought heavy rainfall and flooding to 14 districts, including Chennai and Villupuram. While the downpour caused significant flooding due to excess water release from Sathanur dam, Chennai's water storage has increased,

According to the latest updates, schools and colleges in some parts of Tamil Nadu will remain closed due to heavy rainfall. Schools and colleges will be closed in Karaikal and Puducherry and also a few parts of Chennai.