Cyclone Ditwah: Deep depression continues to drench Chennai; 15.4 cm rainfall in 24 hours

Chennai: A Deep depression, remnant of Cyclone Ditwah, continued to dump heavy rainfall across Chennai and its neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, and Kanchipuram for the second consecutive day on Tuesday leading to waterlogging and inundation in several localities.

Chennai city recorded 15.4 cm rainfall in 24 hours ending 8.30 am Tuesday with north Chennai bearing the maximum brunt with Parrys Corner and Ennore registering 26 cm rainfall each during the above mentioned period followed by Ice House (23.1 cm), Basin Bridge (20.7 cm), and New Manali Town (20.6 cm).

Other localities like Vadapalani registered 18.1 cm rainfall, Medavakkam (17.7 cm), and Nungambakkam (14 cm), even as waterlogging was reported from several areas across the city, throwing normal life out of gear. The city recorded an average rainfall of 36.97 cm since the onset of the North-East Monsoon on October 17, 2025.

People in north Chennai complained that they were not able to come out of their homes due to waterlogging and demanded that rain water be drained out immediately. “We have been stuck inside our home. We can’t step out as there is knee-deep water in our street. People came to drain the water out but they left within a few minutes. This is the situation every year. Nothing has changed,” a resident in Purasawalkam in the city said.

As a precaution, the government announced a holiday for schools and colleges in Chengalpattu, Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Kanchipuram districts on Tuesday after students faced severe inconvenience due to heavy rains on Monday.

Intense spells of rainfall lashed across the city at regular intervals from Monday morning and continued till the time of writing. Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) said it distributed over 2 lakh food packets for breakfast in the city to people affected by the rains even as hundreds of motor pumps have been deployed to drain rain water out.

In an update issued at 9 am, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the Deep Depression is likely to maintain its intensity of depression during the next 12 hours before weakening into a well-marked low-pressure area during subsequent 12 hours.

Independent weather blogger Pradeep John said the Deep Depression is expected to remain close to Chennai coast for next 18 hours and then finally cross the Coast south of Chennai around Kalpakkam belt by evening to night as a weakened system.

“The system has not moved above Chennai latitude, as long as it is below Chennai latitude. Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and Chennai will continue to get clouds one after another throughout the day with breaks like a water ripple,” he added.

Another weather blogger K Srikanth said Chennai and its neighbouring districts will have to wait till Wednesday for a respite from rains as most models expect the weather system to drift slightly to the South and start land interaction between Chennai and Pondicherry later Tuesday.

“Until then, the coastal stretch between Sriharikota and Mahabalipuram may continue to see spells of rains recycled regularly. Places slightly to the North of Chennai may be the most vulnerable for heaviest rains,” he added.