CHENNAI: A family of seven, including five children, is feared to be trapped in a landslide in Tiruvannamalai. The incident occurred near Annamalayar Hills, where the family resided.

Police sources confirmed that the landslide took place around 4:30 pm on Sunday, following continuous heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Fengal. The family members, identified as Rajkumar, his wife Meena, their two children, and three children of Meena's brother, were living on the 11th Street in VOC Nagar, Tiruvannamalai, when the landslide struck.

Rescue operations are underway to locate the missing family members.

Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall near Puducherry on November 30, weakened on Sunday and moved westward, turning into a Well Marked Low Pressure Area over North Interior Tamil Nadu early on Monday, December 2, 2024. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that the remnant low pressure system is expected to emerge over the southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea, near the northern Kerala-Karnataka coast, by December 3.

The heavy rainfall from the cyclone has disrupted normal life, especially in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In response to the ongoing downpour, several districts in Tamil Nadu declared a holiday for educational institutions. Schools and colleges in Cuddalore, Villupuram, and Krishnagiri were closed, while other districts such as Salem, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, and Vellore announced holidays for schools only on December 2.

Cyclone Fengal’s effects have been severe in Puducherry, where torrential rains have caused widespread flooding. The Army was called in to assist with evacuating people stranded in inundated streets. Locals remarked that such extreme weather had not been witnessed in the region for over 30 years.

Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a yellow alert for several districts in Telangana, including Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, and others, warning of potential heavy rains on December 2.