Rains resume in Chennai after respite, more showers expected

Brightsunshineinmany parts of the city and its neighbourhoodonThursdaymorning gave way to dark clouds by the afternoon, with rains resuming in several areas here after a lull.

Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswamitookstockofthesituation, a day after two children wereelectrocutedaftercomingin contact with a live wire submergedinwaterinKodungaiyur locality here.

Whilethesunhadcomeoutin the morning in Chennai and neighbouring Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, by afternoonraincloudshadgathered in many parts. Sharp showers resumedinKodambakkam,Per- ambur, Guindy, Ennore and T Nagar,besidesnearbyareassuch as Avadi and Tambaram.

Palaniswamihelddiscussions with his cabinet colleagues, includingdeputychiefministerO Panneerselvam and senior government officials.

“HonourableCMofTNtaking stock of situation arising out of #rains (and) giving instructions toMinistersandofficers,”atweet from the official handle of Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Agency said.

The meeting came amid reports of downpour in many partsofthestate,includingNagapattinam, where the monsoon furyhasnotonlyinundatedlowlying areas but also affected standingcrops.Vaitheeswarankoil and Sirkazhi in the district havealsobeenbatteredbyrains.

With the northeast monsoon remaining active over the state, the MeT has forecast more rains forthenexttwodays.“Alowpressure has formed over the southwestBayofSriLankacoast.During the last 24 hours, fairly widespread rainfall occurred over Tamil Nadu,” said S Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre.

Inthenexttwodays,moderate rainfall is expected in many placesinsouthTamilNaduandafew areasinthenorthcoastalpartsof the state, he said. Heavy rainfall is also expectedat oneortwoplaces over south Tamil Nadu and Cauvery delta districts, Balachandran said, advising fishermen in the coastal areas of the regions to be “cautious”.

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