Heavy rain continued to pound Tamil Nadu since Sunday evening and the state is bracing for further downpour in the next 48 hours.
"A new low pressure, which has turned into a well-marked low pressure area over the south west bay of Tamil Nadu off the Sri Lanka coast, still persists,” a senior Met Department official said here on Monday.
“Under its influence, heavy rain is likely to occur at most places over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during the next 48 hours,” he added.
The official said the low pressure area might turn into a deep depression and would move in the westerly direction.
Normal life has been severely hit in the state, especially in the coastal districts of Nagapattinam, Kanniyakumari, Chennai and Kanchipuram due to relentless rain from Sunday night.
The Met official said fishermen in the state have been warned not to venture into the sea as it will remain rough along the coastline for the next two days. The latest weather bulletin on Monday evening said heavy to very heavy rain would occur over northern Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, while isolated heavy rain may occur over remaining parts of the state.
Tharangambadi in Nagapattinam received seven centimetres of rainfall in the last 24-hours, while Thuckalay in Kanniyakumari recorded five centimetres of rain in the same period.
Meanwhile, heavy rain with strong winds lashed Chennai, causing inundation in low-lying areas and traffic jams in many places.
The rain proved particularly difficult for office-goers who had to wade through knee-deep water in many places.
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