Chennai: Coastal areas between delta districts and Chennai may experience severe rainfall today and tomorrow as the Meteorological department has announced the weather system to have strengthened as a depression.
According to Met officials, the system over central parts of South Bay of Bengal is likely to move to west-northwestwards and reach Tamilnadu coast by Thursday early morning. It may cause torrential downpour.
In other words, there seems to be no relief for Tamilnadu as the Meteorological department has predicted widespread rainfall across the State for the next couple of days. Even though there has been a decline in rainfall in Chennai and nearby districts like Chengalpet, water is yet to recede from parts of the state capital.
The government has declared holiday for schools and colleges today and tomorrow in Chennai and eight other districts. Five people have died due to rain-related incidents and over 270 huts and 70 houses have been damaged.
It is expected to move west-northwest and hit Tamil Nadu’s northern coast, leading to heavy to very rainfall over parts of the southern state as well as neighbouring Puducherry and Karaikal. Thirteen NDRF teams deployed for rescue operations, while State government teams are also on high alert.
Ahead of the expected fresh deluge, the Tamilnadu government has set up 434 ‘siren towers’ to alert authorities to floods and other emergencies, and is working with telecom networks to ensure mobile connectivity is not affected; 50 cellular phone towers (on wheels) are ready for use.
The Tamilnadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA) has released a flood advisory for the districts of Thoothukudi, Villipuram, Tirunelveli, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu in view of heavy rains predicted today and tomorrow.
Authorities have issued final flood warning for Theni and adjourning low-lying areas and released 1,000 cusecs of water from Vaigai dam tonight, said Vaigai dam’s Assistant Engineer Selvam.
Meanwhile, the ruling DMK and main opposition AIADMK in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday traded charges on inundation woes in the metropolis with Chief Minister M K Stalin accusing the previous government led by K Palaniswami of inaction and ‘corruption’ for the water-logging here and announced a Commission of Inquiry to look into the matter.