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Tamil Nadu is on high alert as Cyclone Fengal is likely to form by late November 27, 2024, bringing with it the threat of heavy rainfall. The looming storm has revived memories of the devastating Chennai Floods of 2015, raising questions about the state’s preparedness nearly a decade later.
The 2015 floods, triggered by the Northeast Monsoon and compounded by urban development issues, were among India’s deadliest disasters. Over 500 lives were lost and more than 1.8 million people were displaced. Chennai experienced an unprecedented 1,200 mm of rainfall that November — the highest in a century — leading to damages that made it one of the costliest natural disasters globally that year.
A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs later attributed the catastrophe to encroachment of water bodies and flawed urban planning. Despite repeated warnings, the encroachment of lakes and rivers has continued in some areas, fuelling concerns about whether similar devastation could occur again.
Authorities are monitoring Cyclone Fengal’s development closely, with disaster response teams on standby. Residents have been advised to remain vigilant as Tamil Nadu prepares to test its disaster management systems and infrastructure resilience against the storm’s potential impact.