Thiruvannamalai: A massive landslide triggered by heavy rains under the influence of Cyclone Fengal claimed seven lives in Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. The victims, including five children, were trapped in their home at the lower slope of the Annamalaiyar Hills when the mudslide buried the house on December 1. After a marathon 24-hour rescue operation, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel recovered the bodies of the deceased, identified as Rajkumar (32), his wife Meena (26), their two children, and three children of Meena’s brother.
திருவண்ணாமலை நிலச்சரிவு… கலங்கி நிற்கும் தந்தை!#Tiruvannamalai #TiruvannamalaiRain #LandSlide #Floods #HeavyRain #CycloneFengal #FengalCyclone #NDRF #NewsTamil24x7 pic.twitter.com/4cVzmV1Sz4
— News Tamil 24×7 (@NewsTamilTV24x7) December 2, 2024
The tragedy unfolded when relentless rainfall loosened the soil on the hillock above their home, resulting in the devastating landslide. Despite the rain easing, the hill remains unstable, with the risk of further landslides and boulders tumbling down.
Victims Identified Amid Devastation
The victims of the landslide include R. Iniya (7), R. Gautham (9), S. Ramya (12), S. Maha (12), M. Vinothini (14), R. Meena (26), and N. Rajkumar (32). The NDRF, comprising 30 personnel, worked tirelessly in challenging conditions to recover the bodies from the debris of the buried house.
திருவண்ணாமலையில் வீடுகள் மீது பாறை சரிந்து விழுந்த விபத்தில் சிக்கிய 7 பேரை மீட்கும் பணியில் #NDRF வீரர்கள் தீவிரம்@NDRFHQ @04NDRF @DDNewslive pic.twitter.com/XiRDATjHio
— DD Tamil News (@DDTamilNews) December 2, 2024
The rescue team also evacuated 50 to 60 residents from the locality, offering a temporary reprieve from the disaster. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced a relief amount of ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased and assured alternative housing for those willing to relocate from the disaster-prone area.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin condolences and announced Rs 5 lakhs financial assistance to the families of those who died in the landslide due to heavy rainfall in Thiruvannamalai district. pic.twitter.com/Yk99BpMYc0
— ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2024
Widespread Rainfall and Cyclone Fengal’s Impact
The Cyclone Fengal-induced rainfall wreaked havoc across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, leading to widespread flooding and disruption. Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district recorded an unprecedented 503 mm of rainfall, causing a lake near the Uthangarai bus stand to breach, resulting in flash floods. Vehicles, including cars and maxi cabs, were swept away, and residential areas such as Anna Nagar, Kamarajar Nagar, and Kalaignar Nagar were submerged.
Transport between Dharmapuri and Tirupattur districts was paralyzed due to hip-deep water on state highways, while Salem district also experienced intense rainfall.
Chief Minister Stalin has sought Rs 2,000 crore in cyclone relief funds from the central government, writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for assistance. The state government has deployed resources to address the crisis and ensure the safety of residents in vulnerable areas.
Transport came to standstill between Dharmapuri and Tirupattur districts due to hip deep water covering the state highway road.
Current pathetic situation of Salem to Tirupattur highway near Uthangarai busstand !
Media will never cover these things, they are busy promoting DyCM 😷#CycloneFengal pic.twitter.com/y3zxuS5XK1
— Troll Cinema ( TC ) (@Troll_Cinema) December 2, 2024
Uthangarai , in Krishnagiri district, recorded an unprecedented 503 mm of rainfall. The nonstop rain caused the breach of a lake near the Uthangarai bus stand, resulting in flash floods that washed away vehicles, including cars and maxi cabs. Areas such as Anna Nagar, Kamarajar Nagar, and Kalaignar Nagar were inundated, with over 20 vehicles submerged near Parasan Lake Bund. Salem district also faced intense rain fall on Sunday.
Several parts in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts were inundated after water surplus water released from Sathanur dam and others caused breach in bunds of lakes. Bumper to bumper serpentine queues of vehicles were seen for more than 8 to 9 kilometres long on Villupuram bypass road on 2nd December night as key stretches of the Chennai Trichy high way remained submerged. The road near Iruvelattu and Arasur was washed away completely with floodwater flowing across it. The led to the stoppage of vehicular traffic and vehicles were redirected to other detour routes. Despite the reroutes traffic moved at snail space as alternate roads also were water logging and heave rain.
In East Coast Road that connects Chennai to Pudcherry too faced traffic jams and disruptions due to water flooding and breaches. Many south bound trains skipped flood hit Villupuram section while city bound trains diverted via Arakonam. The trains were running late of six to eight hours following the flooding on tracks. Some trains were stranded between stations, leaving passengers without food or water and forcing many to walk to find safer and alternative transport.
In Udhagamandalam, 50 year old daily wager G Arumugam was killed after a mud wall of his house collapsed due to heavy continuous rain at Nondimedu. Train services on the Nilgiris Mountain Railway have been cancelled on 3rd December due to inclement weather.
In the neighbouring Puducherry, the N Rangaswamy led NDA government has announced all ration card holders will receive Rs.5000 financial assistance and Rs.5 lakhs will be given to familes of people who died in cyclone related incidents. He said more than 10,000 hectres of crops were damaged in the city ad govt will provide a compensation of Rs.30,000 per hectares of damaged crops besides Rs. Rs.40,000 as compensation to owners of cows and Rs. 20,000 to owners of calves. He said four cows and 16 calves were killed in the rain related incidents.
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The Puducherry administration has sought interim relief of Rs.100 crores from the central government to address road, bridge, and infrastructure repairs.
Meanwhile, temple activist TR Ramesh blames the encroachments were route cause for landslide in Thiruvannamalai. In post in X handle , he said”the Holy Mountain of Tiruvannamalai has been massively encroached in the last twenty years under the watchful eyes of TN Govt, Tiruvannamalai Municipality, the Forest Department and the @tnhrcedept. It was always dangerous to build houses on this mountain’s slopes. People didn’t care. That’s somewhat understandable”.
He said “But the politicians there – bootlickers of vote bank politics – helped the encroachers with electricity connections etc. the hands of Revenue Officials and Forest officials were tied. They, along with Municipal officials, would have also seen this an opportunity for corruption money. Hon’ble 1st Bench of Madras High Court – in June 2024 – came heavily on the encroachments in a Petition filed by Advocate Elephant Rajendran – The Court appointed an advocate commissioner who quickly made a thorough inspection and submitted a report to the Court. Thereafter, the Hon’ble Bench appointed a retire Judge of the High Court to oversee the removal of encroachments”.
The Holy Mountain of Tiruvannamalai has been massively encroached in the last twenty years under the watchful eyes of TN Govt, Tiruvannamalai Municipality, the Forest Department and the @tnhrcedept
It was always dangerous to build houses on this mountain's slopes.… pic.twitter.com/nq8rThxISh
— trramesh (@trramesh) December 3, 2024
Ramesh said “the revenue, municipal and forest officials DID NOT act to remove encroachments – It is quite usual for these officials to disobey Court orders. They did this when similar orders were passed in the year 2012. It is very sad that many lives were lost – But this was waiting to happen with Govt allowing precarious encroachments on this Holy Mountain – and not removing them even after Court interventions”.
