Chennai rain LIVE | City sees sporadic power cuts; stagnant water being pumped out
Various parts of Tamil Nadu witness thunderstorms; Chennai sees spectacular lightning before midnight, which residents describe as both stunning and scary
Chennai saw heavy rains on Monday night (October 14-15), with spectacular lightning illuminating the night sky.
The city recorded 4.6 cm of rainfall in the 24 hours till 6 am on October 15.
Various parts of Tamil Nadu witnessed thunderstorms. Chennai saw spectacular lightning before midnight, which residents described as both stunning and scary.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has given a heavy to extremely heavy rainfall alert for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts in the next 24 hours.
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The Greater Chennai Corporation's (GCC) Integrated Command and Control Centre said Vadapalani received the highest rainfall of 6.2 cm, followed by Nungambakkam with 6.1 cm and Meenambakkam with 5.8 cm. The Ice House area also received 5.3 cm, and Velachery received 5.5 cm.
Stalin takes stock
Last night, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin took stock of the preparations and steps taken by authorities to tackle the situation that may arise in view of the heavy rain predicted by met office in the next four days.
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He has directed the authorities to declare a holiday for schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, and Chengalpattu districts on October 15, and also asked them to issue an advisory to IT firms to allow their employees to work from home from October 15 to 18.
The RMC said Tamil Nadu would receive heavy rain due to a low pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal at 5.30 am today. "It is likely to become a well marked low pressure area and move west-northwestwards towards north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the next two days," it said.
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K Venkatesan (56) pushed his auto for 2 km as it got stranded in floodwaters at Pallikaranai, which used to be a wetland. Encroachments of waterbodies and concretisation of wetlands are major factors that result in flooding in many parts of Chennai
While one lane of the road at Kottivakkam is flooded, the other one is flooded with vehicles
The Chennai Metro Rail phase 2 construction spot was flooded on Tuesday
Floodwater being pumped out of a hotel in Taramani, which is among 169 low-lying flood-prone spots in Chennai
There has been no waterlogging in the subways in Chennai because of preventive maintenance, civic authorities have said. Trees that fell were removed at once, they said.
Waterlogging was, however, seen in several places, and the Greater Chennai Corporation said it has been pumping out water into stormwater drains.
The number of road users decreased sharply in the city and suburbs with continuing rains and thunderstorms. Moderate to heavy, widespread rains lashed Chennai, Tiruvallur and other parts of the state.
Chennai Corporation announced a helpline number 1913. The government has requested people to check the TN Alert App for weather updates. Flight and train operations, including Metro Rail, have so far not been affected.
Some people, who own cars in the flood-prone Ram Nagar in Madipakkam parked their vehicles in nearby Velachery bridge, a key part of busy south Chennai, and some, reportedly, moved away from their homes to hotels.
Food delivery agents wait for orders at IT corridor road