Normal life disrupted; Schools, some Colleges closed today

Mysuru: Normal life was disrupted this morning as heavy rains continued to lash Mysuru and surrounding regions since last evening. The downpour stems from Cyclonic Storm Fengal, which originated in the Bay of Bengal and made landfall in North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Under the influence of this weather system, widespread rains have affected Mysuru, Bengaluru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu districts.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported this morning that the depression over north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry had moved westward and weakened into a Well-Marked Low-Pressure Area at 5.30 am over North Interior Tamil Nadu. The remnant system is expected to re-emerge over the southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea, off the Kerala-Karnataka coast, around Dec. 3.

Meteorologists in Karnataka have warned that Bengaluru and its neighbouring districts, including Mysuru, will continue to experience the after-effects of Cyclone Fengal. The IMD has advised people to remain cautious while travelling and to be prepared for possible disruptions due to heavy rains.

The remnants of the weather system are expected to cause scattered to widespread very light to moderate rains, with isolated heavy downpours accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in parts of the South Interior, Coastal and Malnad districts on Dec. 2 and 3. North Interior Karnataka districts are likely to see isolated light to moderate rains during the same period.

Orange and yellow alerts

Both orange and yellow alerts have been declared in Mysuru for today and tomorrow.

Additionally, authorities have declared a holiday for Anganwadis, Schools and Colleges in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Bengaluru Rural and Urban districts and Mandya due to the weather conditions.

Red alert has been declared in Kodagu till 8.30 am tomorrow.

Cyclone Fengal is resulting in varying amounts of rainfall across different districts. As of Monday morning, the rainfall in Chamarajanagar has been recorded at 86 mm, Ramanagara 64 mm, Kolar 36 mm, Mysuru 35 mm, Bengaluru City 34.5 mm, Mandya 34 mm, Tumakuru 30 mm, Kodagu 27 mm, Chikkaballapur 26.5 mm and Bengaluru Rural 20 mm.

Office-goers struggle

Mysuru has been grappling with relentless rains since 8 pm yesterday, disrupting normalcy and leaving office-goers struggling to reach their workplaces on the first day of the week. The usual peak-hour traffic rush was notably subdued, with fewer vehicles on city’s rain-soaked roads.

In a timely move, the Mysuru District Administration declared a holiday for Schools and some Colleges. However, many students, unaware of the announcement, were left stranded at bus shelters near their institutions.

Busy markets dull

The inclement weather resulted in disruptions in the bustling markets of Mysuru as residents preferred to stay indoors.

Fortunately, no major damages have been reported except for two instances of treefalls in Kuvempunagar H-Block. The Mysuru City Corporation’s (MCC) Abhaya teams, along with CESC and MCC Control Room, remain on high alert to address complaints of treefalls, flooding and snapped power lines.

Farmers advised to delay harvest

Dr. G.V. Sumanth Kumar, Technical Officer, Agro-Meteorological Field Unit (AMFU) at the Organic Farming Research Station in Naganahalli (OFRSN), Mysuru, has advised farmers to postpone paddy harvesting until Dec. 4 due to the ongoing cyclone.

 He emphasised that if mechanical harvesting is undertaken, the harvested paddy should be immediately moved to a safe location and covered with a tarpaulin. Already harvested paddy should be collected in one place and securely covered to prevent sprouting or rotting.

 To mitigate losses, farmers are urged to adopt these precautionary measures. Vegetable growers, too, have been advised to create drainage channels to prevent water-logging, which could trigger diseases such as blight. Dr. Sumanth Kumar stressed the importance of proactive steps to safeguard crops during this critical period.