Already inundated, Chennai likely to face more rains

The weather department issued a red alert for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts

The coastal city of Chennai resembled Venice on Saturday morning, with waterlogged roads and several homes getting inundated, owing to the heavy rains through Friday night and Saturday morning.

The rains and the subsequent inundation have put normal lives out of gear in the city, even as the weather department warned of more rains, issuing a red alert, for several districts, including Chennai, which is a Smart City.

More than 20 districts in Tamil Nadu experienced continuous rains over the past two days. The government also declared a holiday for educational institutions in 23 districts on Saturday.

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Several localities in Chennai went under water and subways were closed due to flooding. Traffic was diverted in several places due to waterlogged roads.

With increased water inflow, the shutters of the Chembarambakkam lake were also raised to let out surplus water. In the districts, several acres of paddy fields were inundated, causing damage to crops.

The weather department, predicting heavy rains for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts, advised fishermen not to venture into the sea.

Chief Minister MK Stalin is expected to meet Governor RN Ravi to brief him about the measures to mitigate the problems faced by the people due to heavy rains.