Heavy Rain Lashes Tamil Nadu; Severe Waterlogging In Chennai, 4 Trains Cancelled, Public Holiday Tomorrow

Heavy rain lashed Chennai and other regions of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, with severe waterlogging and traffic congestion in several areas of the state capital.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Tamil Nadu is likely to receive “isolated extremely heavy rainfall” for the next 24 hours, while warnings for “very heavy rainfall” were issued for October 17 and 18.

The Southern Railway said four express trains were fully cancelled due to waterlogging between Basin Bridge and Vyasarpadi railway stations in Chennai. Airline carriers also issued advisories for passengers, warning them about slow-moving traffic and congestion on roads to Chennai airport.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said owing to weather predictions, a public holiday has been declared on October 16 while the Chennai Corporation announced a helpline number 1913. The state government requested people to check the TN Alert App for weather updates.

The IMD said the region is witnessing heavy rain due to an upper air cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal has formed a low-pressure area off south coastal Andhra Pradesh and lay over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Tamil Nadu coast.

On the heavy rainfall warning in Tamil Nadu, state relief commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said some parts of Chennai received as high as 16 cm rainfall. He said there is full preparedness for any eventuality and resources have been planned and placed in advance.

“…Around 26 teams of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) have been placed in five coastal districts. Boats with manpower also placed. We have identified 300 relief centres in Chennai and around 931 relief centres in neaby areas. This time we are doing centralised cooking… Medical camps are being arranged. We have ensured that all old age homes and homes for the destitute have dry ration for the next 10 days. 80 pregnant women with due deliveries have been admitted to different hospitals,” he said.

The number of road users sharply decreased in city and suburbs with continuing rains and thunderstorms. Moderate to heavy, widespread rains lashed Chennai, Tiruvallur and other parts of the state.

Waterlogging was seen in several places, and the Greater Chennai Corporation said it has been pumping out water into stormwater drains. Civic authorities, however, said there has been no water stagnation in subways in view of preventative maintenance and trees that fell were immediately removed.

Areas like Pallikaranai and Velachery in Chennai were badly affected. In Egmore, MLA I Paranthamen inspected the Poonamallee road amid ongoing restoration work.

“…The state govt machinery and corporation officers are in the field amid rainfall alert. 80% to 90% of the work to construct the stormwater drain has been completed in my constituency. There is no inundation or stagnation, which could cause disturbance to normal life… deputy CM has been in the field, he has inspected different parts of Chennai. The CM, deputy CM and all elected representatives are in the field,” he said.

Why the heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu and adjoining states?

The IMD said the southwest monsoon withdrew from the entire country on Tuesday, following which the northeast monsoon activity commenced over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, south interior Karnataka and Kerala.

Here are some features of the current rainfall activity:

• A well-marked low pressure area lies over the central part of the south Bay of Bengal
• Easterly and northeasterly winds set in over southern peninsular India, south and adjoining central Bay of Bengal and extends up to middle tropospheric levels
• Fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall occurred over the southeast peninsula with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall observed over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and Kerala.

Deputy CM takes stock of the rainfall situation

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inspected several localities, including the Narayanapuram lake near Velachery and authorities said the surplus rain from the lake water drains into channels due to advance desilting work.

He inspected the integrated command and control centre of Chennai Corporation, functioning from its headquarters, the Ripon Building, to review ongoing work to tackle the situation arising out of the rains.

Since Monday night, Chennai and its suburbs have been experiencing intermittent rains. Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday (October 14) reviewed the preparations taken by authorities to tackle the situation that may arise in view of the heavy rain predicted by the MeT. He directed that the NDRF and Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force be deployed in advance in the areas prone to be affected.

(With PTI inputs)