Pondy govt assessing impact of cyclone, to send report to Centre: CM Rangasamy
Puducherry (PTI): Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy has said that a detailed report was being prepared assessing the extent of damage caused by the Cyclone Fengal and will be sent to the Centre seeking relief.
All schools and colleges remained closed in Puducherry and Karaikal regions on Monday, Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam said in a release.
After making landfall near Puducherry on November 30, Cyclone Fengal weakened on Sunday, but torrential downpour under its influence paralysed the union territory, with the Army stepping in to evacuate stranded persons in inundated streets.
Four people died in rain-related incidents, officials said without divulging details.
Power supply which remained suspended for the whole region was restored in a phased manner on Monday morning. Some of the sub stations of the electricity department were water logged and immediate steps were taken to pump out the water, officials said.
Venkata Nagar, Kamaraj Nagar, Vallalar Salai, Kamarajar Salai and a number of residential colonies were water logged and residents stayed indoors, they said.
The chief minister visited rain-ravaged areas in and around Puducherry on Sunday.
The extent of damage caused by the cyclone Fengal and also heavy rainfall in Puducherry and Karaikal regions are being assessed and a report would be sent to the union government, Rangasamy told reporters.
Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan also visited several rain ravaged areas.
Meanwhile, Puducherry district Collector A Kulothungan on Monday said that the union territory recorded the heaviest rainfall and this was the first time that such a heavy downpour was recorded during the last 50 years in Puducherry.
Relief camps were opened and people marooned in the flood were shifted to the camps where food packets were given, he said in a release.
The Collector said that with the help of the National Disaster Response Force team from Arakkonam (Tamil Nadu) and also with the help of the Army personnel deputed by the Defence department, a number of people including senior citizens were evacuated from their houses to the relief camps.
Kulothungan said that voluntary organisations, including the Pondicherry Heritage Round Table 167 volunteered to get ready the food packets and gave them to the inmates of the relief camps.
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Cristiano Ronaldo scores his 100th Saudi Pro League goal
Riyadh (AP): Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th Saudi Pro League goal as Al-Nassr beat Al-Shabab 4-2 to move five points clear at the top of the table.
The 41-year-old forward converted a Sadio Mané cross at the near post with 15 minutes remaining to record the 971st goal of his career on Thursday. It was also his 26th league goal of the season.
“Ronaldo is always dangerous going forward and we saw that again today,” Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus said.
João Félix, signed from Chelsea in July, scored three goals for the league leaders.
The win took Al-Nassr to 82 points from 32 games, five ahead of Al-Hilal, which has three matches, one more than Nassr, left to play. Al-Hilal meets Al-Kholood on Friday and faces Nassr on Tuesday in what could be a title decider against its Riyadh rival.
“Now we have a derby match against our rival, which is a difficult encounter,” Jesus said.
“We are fully aware of its importance, and we are dealing with it with complete focus as we know that small details could decide the result.”
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, has yet to secure a major trophy in Saudi Arabia since signing with Al-Nassr in December 2022.
