Heavy rains pound Tamil Nadu, depression to cross Chennai coast by Friday morning

Extremely heavy rainfall pounded several parts of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry on Thursday leading to flooding in many places with the state government mounting massive efforts to carry out immediate relief operations.

Several parts of Chennai, the state capital, continued to receive heavy rains since Wednesday afternoon but the situation was under control till the time of going to press. The city has so far received over 900 mm of rainfall, which is much more than the average annual rainfall.

Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Ranipet, Vellore, and Tiruppattur are among the districts that have been put on Red Alert after a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal which strengthened into a Depression on Thursday. Red Alert issued to Chennai and Tiruvallur were withdrawn late Thursday night.

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In its latest bulletin, the IMD said the Depression will cross between Chennai and Puducherry by Friday morning.

Wide-spread rains were reported from across Tamil Nadu with Kundhalam in Tiruppur district in west Tamil Nadu recording 30 cm of rainfall in the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Thursday. Tirunelveli, Thanjavur, Tiruvallur, Vellore, and a few other districts also received heavy rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday.

As rains continued to lash the state, Chief Minister M K Stalin postponed the Cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday to Saturday and asked ministers to oversee relief works in their respective districts. Over a dozen district administrations declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Friday.

The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) said a total of 6 NDRF teams are on duty in northern districts, while over 3,000 policemen trained to handle disasters have been placed on duty in coastal districts. Another 3,600 such policemen are on duty in remaining districts.

In Chennai, which was battered by heavy rains last week, the SDRF said 54 fiber boats, 46 JCB machines, and 793 giant pumps have been kept on standby. While boats will be used to evacuate senior citizens and vulnerable people from flooded areas, the giant motor pumps will be used to drain rainwater.

The SDRF also said 5,106 centres will be opened in the Cuddalore district alone as the Depression is expected to bring more rains to the region. In all, over 2,000 persons were lodged in relief camps across the state on Thursday evening.

Independent weather blogger K Srikanth said the Depression is expected to cross between Chennai and Puducherry around Marakkanam/Kalpakkam.

“Meanwhile moderate spells which might be heavy at times will continue in Chennai and suburbs. Interior districts like Tiruvannamalai, Krishnagiri Tiruppattur, Vellore along with adjoining areas of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh need to be wary of some heavy spell of rains coming their way as moisture gets pushed into interior areas,” he said.