<p>Heavy rains lashed this metropolis and outskirts on Tuesday recording highest rains in the month of January in 100 years, not just surprising the citizens but also causing severe inconvenience to them.</p>.<p>The rains that began in the wee hours of Tuesday continued through the day, intermittently bringing several low-lying areas in the city underwater. Several major roads were full of water forcing motorists to wade through the water and causing traffic jams across the city.</p>.<p>As heavy rains lashed the city, excess water was released from Poondi and Chembarambakkam reservoirs that supply water to Chennai. Nearly 4,000 cusecs of water were released from the two reservoirs, while authorities asked people living in low-lying areas to move to safety.</p>.<p>The city had recorded 114.60 mm of rainfall in just 7.5 hours between 8.30 am and 4 pm on Tuesday. MeT department and independent weather bloggers said rains would continue till January 10.</p>.<p>“No cyclone, No Depression, No Low pressure. Yet what a rainfall we have seen in Chennai and by January standards our rainfall is just 20 mm yet we have got over seven times the January month rainfall in less than 15 hours,” independent weather blogger Pradeep John said.</p>.<p>He also added that this was the highest rains recorded in the month of January in a century after 1915. The Northeast monsoon that brings maximum rainfall to the state usually ends in December and January is a dry month normally. However, Tuesday's rains surprised everyone.</p>
<p>Heavy rains lashed this metropolis and outskirts on Tuesday recording highest rains in the month of January in 100 years, not just surprising the citizens but also causing severe inconvenience to them.</p>.<p>The rains that began in the wee hours of Tuesday continued through the day, intermittently bringing several low-lying areas in the city underwater. Several major roads were full of water forcing motorists to wade through the water and causing traffic jams across the city.</p>.<p>As heavy rains lashed the city, excess water was released from Poondi and Chembarambakkam reservoirs that supply water to Chennai. Nearly 4,000 cusecs of water were released from the two reservoirs, while authorities asked people living in low-lying areas to move to safety.</p>.<p>The city had recorded 114.60 mm of rainfall in just 7.5 hours between 8.30 am and 4 pm on Tuesday. MeT department and independent weather bloggers said rains would continue till January 10.</p>.<p>“No cyclone, No Depression, No Low pressure. Yet what a rainfall we have seen in Chennai and by January standards our rainfall is just 20 mm yet we have got over seven times the January month rainfall in less than 15 hours,” independent weather blogger Pradeep John said.</p>.<p>He also added that this was the highest rains recorded in the month of January in a century after 1915. The Northeast monsoon that brings maximum rainfall to the state usually ends in December and January is a dry month normally. However, Tuesday's rains surprised everyone.</p>
