Chennai receives highest rainfall in 30 years; schools shut

Chennai on Tuesday (November 1) received a record rainfall of 8.4 cm, the highest downpour in the past 30 years, as heavy rains lashed the southern city and its neighbouring districts through Monday night and the next morning.

The heavy downpour inundated several stretches of the city, and caused traffic jams at major junctions including the arterial Anna Salai and the congested localities of north Chennai.

Also read: IMD declares northeast monsoon start, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh get rains

A holiday have been declared for schools in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengelpet, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts in view of the rains.

Light to moderate rainfall is expected to continue in coastal and Cauvery delta regions of the state.

Chief Minister MK Stalin is expected to chair a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation and review the monsoon preparedness of the state.

After inspecting several areas of the city, officials of Greater Chennai Corporation have said that there was no rain water stagnation in localities including KK Nagar-Rajamannar Salai, and subways like Ganesapuram in view of preparatory measures and storm water drain work.

While flood monitoring cameras have been installed in localities which are vulnerable to water logging and flooding, barricades have been put near sites of the Chennai Metrorail Phase 2 project to divert traffic.

The storm-water drain infrastructure improvement work is completed in some areas and it is continuing in other parts of the city.

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.

The Northeast monsoon rains commenced in Tamil Nadu on October 29.

Also read: Bengaluru rains: Roads flooded, cars damaged; IMD issues yellow alert

Earlier, the India Meteorological Department had issued a yellow alert for the state till November 4, and had predicted rains to lash the state till November 5.

The weathermen have issued an orange alert for Tiruppattur and Vellore district on Tuesday.