Chennai: Rains lashed many parts of Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry with the North-East monsoon in the last 24 hours claiming one life in the state capital, even as the Met office predicted more showers in the next two days. Various parts of the state have been receiving good rainfall since the onset of the monsoon on October 16.
In a few parts of Chennai, water entered several homes and left streets severely water-logged.
Meanwhile, all schools and colleges will remain shut on Monday in Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, and Tiruvallur. Schools will also remain shut in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, and neighbouring Puducherry.
Director of area cyclone-warning Centre, Regional Meteorological Centre, N Puviarasan on Sunday told reporters here that the presence of an upper air circulation caused heavy to very heavy rains.
He said light to heavy rainfall may occur over the next 24-48 hours. "Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Vellore, Tiruvallur, Thiruvannamalai districts may receive very heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours," he said. To a query, he said the rainfall recorded since October 1 was 39 per cent which was three per cent higher than the rain received during the setting of the monsoon. For Chennai and its surrounding areas, he said light to moderate rainfall may occur over the next two days.
Read: Rains lash many parts of TN, more forecast; one dead in Chennai
"The city received 51 cm this season which is 9 per cent less compared to the normal 60 cm received during monsoon season," he said. He advised fishermen not to venture into sea at Cape Comorin, Lakshadweep area as gusty winds were likely to occur due to the presence of depression in the Arabian Sea.
Talking to reporters, Viswanathan said all the departments have been alerted to take stock of situation in a coordinated manner. He said a whatsapp group of officers has been formed to ensure that immediate steps would be taken. "Five teams from the State Disaster Relief Force have been kept on standby and teams from the National Disaster Relief Force, if required, may also join in," he said. Several low-lying areas in the city were inundated.
DMK chief M K Stalin took to social media saying district administration should take measures on warfooting following the rains. "Several low-lying areas were inundated, and power supply was cut. The district administration should take immediate steps," he said in a Facebook post.
In neighbouring Puducherry, incessant rains hit normal life from this morning. Territorial Chief Minister V Narayanasamy told newsmen at his residence the union territory saw nearly 12 cm of rainfall in the last 24 hours and the directorate of school education declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Monday.
The Chief Minister said he was recuperating after a knee replacement surgery, so he could not visit the rain-ravaged areas, but his ministerial colleagues had fanned out to different pockets for relief and rehabilitation works. Most of the thoroughfares were water-logged disrupting vehicular traffic. Daily wage earners were hard-hit because of the inclement weather. Reports from the southern districts said rains hit normal life by affecting rail and vehicular traffic and submerging crops.
In some places, residents have been moved to safe ground as houses were marooned, officials said. Vehicular traffic in Tiruchendur and Tuticorin was affected. Kovai Express and Pearl City Express were stopped at Melur as the tracks got submerged. State minister Vijayabaskar visited the flood-affected areas in Pudukottai district and was overseeing relief operation. The rain over the last two days in Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin resulted in most dams getting filled up, the officials said.
The North-East monsoon accounts for about 48% of the annual rainfall in the state.
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