Diwali festival
Credit: PTI photo
Chennai: After 14 years, it was a wet Deepavali for residents of this metropolis as heavy rains lashed the city on Monday under the influence of an upper air cyclonic circulation over South Andaman sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal.
Several localities in the city, including Medavakkam, Pallikaranai, and Velachery, witnessed heavy rainfall for most part of Monday – the last time the city received significant rains on Deepavali day was in 2011.
Medavakkam in south Chennai received 10.2 cm rainfall between 8.30 am on Sunday to 8.30 am on Monday, followed by Okkiyam Thoraipakkam (9.02 cm), Kannagi Nagar (7.8 cm), Sholinganallur (7.6 cm), and Uthandi (6.5 cm).
The heavy rains came just days after the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai announced the arrival of the northeast monsoon, the lifeline of Tamil Nadu. The monsoon, according to weathermen, will be intense and the first spell of rains will continue till October 22.
Though rains continued through the day, the festival spirits of people remained undeterred as they celebrated Deepavali with much fervour and burst crackers as usual. Neighbouring districts like Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, and Chengalpattu and southern Tamil Nadu also experienced intermittent rains on Monday.
The MeT department said under the influence of the upper air cyclonic circulation, a low pressure area is likely to form over Southeast Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours which will move west-northwestwards and concentrate further into a Depression over central parts of South Bay of Bengal and adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal in subsequent 48 hours.
The weathermen warned that Tamil Nadu coast will experience squally weather with wind speed reaching 35 kmph to 45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph and asked fishermen not to venture into the above sea areas from October 20 to October 22.
Independent weather bloggers attributed the widespread rains in Southern TN to well-marked low pressure over Comorin Sea. “There is also a fair degree of confidence this disturbance may deepen up to Well-Marked Low Pressure/Depression with less chance for further strengthening. By October 22, it is expected to be near Chennai,” K Srikanth, a weather blogger, said.
He added that there was a high chance of widespread heavy to very heavy rains over North Coastal TN and South Coastal AP between October 21 evening and October 22 morning.
Another weather blogger Pradeep John said, “what a Diwali day, it was way back in 2011 we got such heavy rains in Chennai on a Diwali day. South Chennai such as OMR, ECR belts were pounded by very heavy rains.”
“More on and off rains will continue on Diwali Day. There will be breaks in between to enjoy Diwali,” he added.