Chennai: After two days of incessant rains, people of Chennai and suburbs today woke up to a sunny morning as the sun shone brightly.
Though more rain is in the offing the Met office has withdrawn its red alert for Tamilnadu for tomorrow.
The State government has put in place elaborate precautionary arrangements, including deployment of of NDRF personnel from Arakkonam to Kanyakumari, Madurai, Coimbatore, Nilgiris and other districts, which are expected to receive more rain during the next 48 hours.
The low pressure area over southeast Arabian Sea has become a well-marked low pressure area over the same region and is very likely to concentrate into a depression and move northwestwards during the next 24 hours.
Met office today said it might intensify into cyclonic storm Luban and move towards Oman coast thereafter, even as the Tamilnadu government has geared up its official machinery and put in place all precautionary arrangements in districts to meet the situation.
A meeting was chaired today by various officials in the presence of Local Administration Minister S P Velumani to discuss flood mitigating measures.
Speaking to reporters post the meet, the Minister, said,”A total of 15 IAS officers have been appointed to 15 zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation. They will be monitoring all the preventive measures for the upcoming rains. Also, on a war-footing, all the canals and storm water drains are being cleaned. Motors 458 in number and 130 generators have been kept ready. Also advanced equipment have been put in place desilt crucial water bodies.”
The cyclonic circulation over south Andaman Sea and neighbourhood persists. Another low pressure area was likely to form over south Bay of Bengal around Monday. It is likely to become more marked and move towards Odisha and adjoining north Andhrapradesh Coasts during the subsequent 72 hours.
Under its influence Tamilnadu is likely to witness widespread rain / thundershowers with heavy / very heavy rains at isolated places during next five days.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into these areas for the next four days from today.
Meanwhile, following the prediction of heavy rainfall tomorrow, Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi has instructed government employees in the Union Territory to work round-the-clock