Chennai: The rains that started last night were continuing without any break in most parts of Chennai its suburbs, leading to waterlogging in many places.
The heavy overnight rain has led to several areas in Chennai going without power supply due to cable fault, feeder trappings and shutting down as part of precautionary measures.
With IMD having signalled the red alert ahead of the intense rain, the State has stepped up preparations and counter measures.
Tamilnadu DGP C Sylendra Babu said at least 75,000 officers have been assigned for flood rescue measures across the State.
The police headquarters, in a statement, said about 250 state disaster rescue force (SDRF) personnel are ready with rescue fibre boats, handheld saws and wall drilling machines.
Teams comprising at least 350 coastal security guard CID police with kayaks, 250 special task force personnel and 364 personnel from the disaster rescue section of the Tamilnadu Home Guard are on standby.
The weather department has issued red alert for eight districts — Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Vellore, Salem, Kallakurichi, Tirupattur and Tiruvannamalai — today as extremely heavy rainfall measuring above 20.4 cm is expected in one or two places and very heavy to heavy rainfall in a few places.
The Meteorological department has said surface winds will be strong with wind speed around 40 with gusting to 45 kilometres per hour over Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu districts of Tamilnadu and Puducheery during next six hours under the influence of Depression over South west Bay of Bengal off North TN coast.
Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep S Bedi said, ‘We are expecting more than 250 mm of rain in and around Chennai over the next two days. We’ve taken a lot of steps – we’ve mobilised additional pumps and put 46 boats across the city in case of a flood situation. Additionally, food has been given to 2.5 lakh people. We have set up 200 medical camps.’