Red alert in Chennai for next two days
According to the data from Chennai Corporation, inundations were reported in 127 streets as of 2 pm
Even as five people lost their lives to heavy rains across the State over the past 24 hours, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) on Friday issued red alert for all coastal districts between Ramnad and Chennai for the next two days. Anticipating heavy rainfall, the State government declared a holiday on Saturday for schools and colleges in Chennai.
The RMC announced that Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Villipuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai and Ramnad have been issued red alert while Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and certain parts of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram have been issued orange alerts. Kanniyakumari, Karur, Tiruchy, Coimbatore and The Nilgiris have been issued yellow alert.
Following heavy rain since Thursday night, waterlogging was reported in several areas, including KK Nagar, Choolaimedu, T Nagar, Ram Nagar in Velachery forcing the Chennai Corporation workers to pump the stagnant water out using motor pumps.
According to the civic body data, inundations were reported at 127 streets as of 2 pm. The Corporation cleared rainwater from 12 streets and the works were on to remove water from 113 streets in 53 locations. In total, 1,128 streets were affected till November 24 and the civic body had cleared water from all the streets. More than 620 people were sheltered at the Chennai Corporation relief centres and the civic body provided breakfast and lunch to around 790 residents in whose homes water had entered. The Water Resources Department, as a precautionary measure, discharged 4,233 cusecs of water from Poondi lake and 2,147 cusecs from Chembarambakkam.
The RMC has forecast thunderstorm with scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of the State on Saturday including Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Chengalpattu, Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur.
Meanwhile Kanniyakumari, Ramanathapuram, Tiruchy, Karur, Coimbatore, The Nilgiris and a few parts of Karaikal will receive scattered heavy showers with thunderstorms in the next 24 hours. Fishermen have been warned to not venture into the sea in the coastal areas of southwestern Bay of Bengal and southern Tamil Nadu as heavy rains and squally winds are expected. For the next 24 hours, the maximum temperature is expected to be 29 degrees Celsius and the minimum temperature 25 degrees Celsius in Chennai.
Chennai and neighbouring districts, including Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu, had excess rainfall of 56 per cent to 67 per cent than average from October 1 to November 25
CHENNAI: Even though the downpour on Friday was not as severe as the first spell, trees were uprooted in 12 locations. As many as 694 trees have fallen since the onset of the monsoon this year.
The Rangarajapuram two-wheeler subway has remained closed for the past four days due to waterlogging. The remaining 21 subways, which were maintained by the Chennai Corporation and Highways Department, were free from waterlogging and traffic was allowed throughout the day.
Several parts of the city that were affected by the last week’s rains, following which the Corporation officials had cleared and desilted the drains, were again waterlogged. Ashok Nagar, KK Nagar and Virugmabakkam residents complained that the desilting and clearing of stormwater drains by the civic body seem to have no effect.
Officials said 847 motor pumps were kept ready to remove stagnant water but only 131 pumps were put into use on the day. As many as 46 earthmovers were also used.
Meanwhile, Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) officials said, under the influence of recurrent above normal rainfall activity, northeast monsoon seasonal rainfall from October 1 to November 25 has been largely excess, with more than 70 per cent than average rainfall. Almost all districts except Madurai received excess rainfall during the northeast monsoon.
Chennai and neighbouring districts, including Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu, had excess rainfall of 56 per cent to 67 per cent than average from October 1 to November 25. Until 5.30 pm on Friday, Karaikal recorded 91 mm of rainfall, followed by 56 mm in Nagapattinam and 33.8 mm in Chennai.