Cyclone Fengal is forming over the Bay of Bengal and may intensify into a storm soon. The Indian Navy is ready to assist vulnerable areas in Tamil Nadu, as the cyclone approaches the coast, with landfall expected near Chennai or Puducherry.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced that the Deep Depression over the Southwest Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclonic Storm Fengal at 2:30 p.m. IST on Wednesday, November 29. The cyclone is predicted to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall to the affected regions as it makes landfall.

The deep depression will be named Cyclone Fengal if it turns into a cyclonic storm before making landfall. However, the Met department official says weather patterns show it is weakening.

The cyclonic storm, named 'Fengal' and pronounced as 'Feinjal' is likely to make a landfall on November 30 afternoon close to Puducherry with a wind speed, gusting upto 90 kmph

The deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclone by Thursday night. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, or BMD, the influence of the storm may result in light rain in the southern part of the country.

Meanwhile, Cyclone Fengal has already caused massive damage in Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam district, with heavy rainfall submerging paddy crops in over 800 acres of land. Farmers in affected areas, including Kamashwaram, Virundhamavadi, and Pudupalli, are facing distress as their crops are completely submerged.

The deep depression over the Southwest Bay of Bengal remained practically stationary about 100 km east-northeast of Trincomalee and it will intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours, the Regional Meteorological Centre,

Puducherry coasts by November 30. The Indian Navy is actively preparing for relief and rescue operations to mitigate the storm's impact.

The cyclonic storm will continue to move north-northwestwards towards the Tamil Nadu coast skirting Sri Lanka's coast during the subsequent 2 days.