Chennai: Heavy rains lashed several parts of the State due to upper air circulation and easterly winds. Many suburbs of Chennai witnessed water-logging, with rain water entering houses in a few places.
Schools were declared holiday in around nine districts, including Chennai, Thiruvallur, Chengalpet and Kanchipuram. With Met officials predicting rains for the next 24 hours, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami today chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat and reviewed relief and rescue measures.
He directed Ministers and officials to take steps on war footing and carry out relief works. Rescue teams have been formed and officers of various departments have been directed to take coordinated efforts.
The rains were heavy in the hilly Nilgiris district, Erode and neighbouring areas and in southern districts, where
flood alert has been sounded.
The hilly Coonoor in Nilgiris district received a maximum of 133.8 mm of rain during the last 24 hours ending at 0830 hours this morning, followed by Namakkal 64 mm, Udhagamangalam 56.2 mm.
Heavy and incessant rains lashed Chennai city and suburbs with the Nungambakkam observatory recording 4.7 cm of rain till 8.30 am this morning, while the suburban Meenambakkam received six cms of rains.
Met office said the wet spell was likely to continue for the next two days after which the downpour would subside. In a related development, the Low Pressure area over the Southwest Arabian Sea and adjoining equatorial Indian
Ocean lay centred as a Well Marked Low Pressure Area over the same region. It is likely to move west-northwestwards and concentrate into a Depression during the next 24 hrs, Met office source said, which was also expected to bring more rains for the next two days.
Met office said under the influence of an active easterly wave, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with heavy to very heavy falls occurred over Tamilnadu, Puducherry and Karaikal. Meanwhile a holiday for schools were declared in eight districts including, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Thoothukudi, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu, Ramanathapuram, Kancheepuram and Ranipet, due to heavy rains.
A flood alert has been issued to people living on the banks of river Bhavani in the western Erode district. Revenue officials released a flood alert and advised people living on the river banks to move to safer places. The dam has filled up for the sixth time this year following heavy rains in the catchment areas in hilly Nilgiris district and Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district.