Due to a low pressure developing and intensifying over the south Andhra Pradesh coast, the Tamil Nadu centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rains for Chennai and a warning has also been issued for the city for November 18. The city and its adjoining districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur are expected to receive rains on Tuesday, November 16 and Wednesday, November 17. The IMD has also predicted rains in Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Mayiladuthurai, and in delta districts of the state. Puducherry is also expected to receive light to moderate rains on Tuesday along with Karaikkal areas.
Even after a respite from heavy rains for the past two days, Chennai and the adjoining districts remain inundated, while houses in low-lying areas of the city are still filled with water. Almost all the ponds and lakes in Chennai are full and the administration also opened some reservoirs to release the excess water. However, the Poondi reservoir has almost reached its full capacity. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been kept ready to face any eventuality and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) units are also on standby to deal with the issues that crop up if rains come down as expected.
16.11.2021 தேதியிலிருந்து தமிழகத்தின் அடுத்த ஐந்து நாட்களுக்குகான வானிலை முன்னறிவிப்பு pic.twitter.com/31n7mgaY35
— TN SDMA (@tnsdma) November 16, 2021
Police, Fire and Rescue forces, Tangedco employees, and Health Department officials have been put on alert to face any eventuality if the situation goes out of hand. Velmurugan, a software engineer with an MNC who works in Chennai told IANS, “We were living at Ashok Nagar for the past several years and in the heavy downpour during last week, our housing colony was fully inundated, there was power failure and water was everywhere. The weather warning for Wednesday has made me jittery as we have started thinking of even shifting from our home to some other location.”
On Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin inspected the rain-battered Kanyakumari district, damage to crops and also distributed flood relief to affected people. Stalin, continuing his inspection of flood hit regions of the state since last week, gave away a cheque of Rs 4 lakh as solatium to the kin of a man who drowned days ago in the district.
The Chief Minister inspected the breaches on the banks of Periyakulam and Buddanar channel at Thovalai and Padmanabhapuram respectively, damage to roads, and distributed flood assistance to affected people housed in a relief camp, an official release said. Later, chairing a meeting to review the situation at Kanyakumari, he directed officials to ensure swift flood relief, rehabilitation measures, maintaining sanitation and provision of food and health care facilities to people hit by the deluge.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announces compensation upto ₹20,000 a hectare for certain crops damaged in the recent heavy rains in the State; also announces input subsidy. CM also sanctions ₹300 crore for restoring roads and other infrastructure damaged. @THChennai pic.twitter.com/FzUTTdpeLM
— Dennis S. Jesudasan (@DennisJesudasan) November 16, 2021
Kanyakumari, the Cauvery Delta regions and northern districts of Tamil Nadu including Chennai witnessed heavy rainfall recently. During the current northeast monsoon, Kanyakumari district (between October 1 and November 15) has received 83.96 cm rainfall while 38.99 cm is the normal, and the percentage departure from normal is 115, according to the IMD.
With IANS and PTI inputs