Rains lash Tamil Nadu, schools in seven districts shut

Authorities have announced a holiday in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengelpet, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts due to the incessant rains, which inundated many areas.

Chennai: Overnight rains lashed Chennai, its neighbouring districts and other regions of Tamil Nadu and continued on Tuesday inundating parts of the State capital and nearby areas. Several stretches in and around the arterial Anna Salai, the congested localities of north Chennai, including parts of Pulianthope and neighbourhoods tucked away in southern parts of the city and suburbs witnessed waterlogging, resulting in traffic congestion and slow movement of vehicles, an official said.

In Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengelpet, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts, a holiday has been declared for schools in view of the inclement weather. Meanwhile, the local meteorological department has forecast light to moderate rainfall in the coastal and Cauvery delta regions of the State. Greater Chennai Corporation authorities inspected several areas and said that there was no rainwater stagnation in localities, including KK Nagar-Rajamannar Salai, and subways like Ganesapuram in view of preparatory measures and storm water drain work.

Authorities have installed flood monitoring cameras in localities vulnerable to flooding. The storm-water drain infrastructure improvement work is completed in some areas and it is continuing in other parts of the city, said officials. In view of the ongoing Chennai Metrorail phase-2 project, barricades have been put up in many stretches of roads.

While such infra-initiatives have already made traffic congestion the order of the day, the rains and waterlogging are the fresh monsoon woes people face. Chief Minister MK Stalin is set to chair a meeting of top officials at the Secretariat on Tuesday to review the precautionary monsoon measures. The Northeast monsoon rains commenced in Tamil Nadu on October 29.

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