Incessant rains lash Chennai, spells to continue till Monday

Chennai, which has been experiencing heavy rains for the past 24 hours, is likely to receive more spells of rain till Monday (December 2), according to weathermen.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Chennai on Saturday and Sunday. Fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea.

In an advisory dated November 30, the Centre has asked Tamil Nadu authorities to keep a 24×7 vigil in all dams, especially in Poondi Sathyamurthi Reservoir, Chembarapakkam and Gomukhi dam, Wellington reservoir which may experience heavy inflow due to the flooding of the Kosasthalaiyar, Adyar, Ponnaiyar and Vellar basins. The Centre has advised the state government to take necessary steps to ensure the safety of the people in the coastal areas.

The incessant rains in the city, which in summer was water-starved while providing the much-needed succour to residents, has also led to the flooding of streets, congesting traffic movement in several localities. Apart from Chennai, neighbouring areas like Puducherry and Karaikal have also witnessed heavy showers in the past three days.

According to Skymet Weather, the low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea has strengthened the humid easterly winds over Coastal Tamil Nadu, beginning from Chennai.

It is predicted that the state capital will also witness a thunderstorm on Sunday night. These rains can be attributed to the low-pressure area over the southwest Arabian Sea.

“Widespread rainfall over the state would continue till Monday. It would reduce to fairly widespread rainfall, covering up to 75% of the weather stations on Monday,” The Hindu quoted N Puviarasan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai as saying.

Tamil Nadu weatherman, Pradeep John, in a social media post stated that very good spells are expected from Sunday to Monday morning. Down south Nellai, Thoothukudi, interior Villupuram, Tiruvnnamalai and Cuddalore districts are also expected to get rainfall.