Chennai: Even before the waterlogging and other problems caused by the depression in Tamilnadu could settle down, a fresh spell of rains have been predicted.
A new trough of low pressure is expected to bring more rains in the State. According to weather experts, it has surfaced near Andaman and is likely to become a depression and bring rains for another four days from today.
Following this, Tamilnadu government has intensified precautionary measures and relief works.
Extremely heavy rains pounded Chennai and its adjoining districts and parts of coastal and delta districts crippling normal life, as the depression moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 21 kmph and crossed the coast near Chennai.
A fresh low pressure area is likely to form over south Andaman sea on 13 November, which is likely to move west-northwestwards and become more marked during the subsequent 48 hours.
Earlier, as the old low pressure became well marked and intensified into a depression and moved closer to the Tamilnadu coast, the met department has issued red alert for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Vellore, Salem, Kallakurichi, Tirupattur and Tiruvannamalai districts as extremely heavy rainfall (above 20.4 cm) was expected in one or two places and very heavy to heavy rainfall in a few places.
It also predicted heavy to very heavy intensity rains in 11 districts, including Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Fishermen were advised not to venture into southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal and along off Tamilnadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts.
Meanwhile, heavy rains accompanied by strong winds battered Chennai city and its suburbs since Wednes evening. It rained non-stop for nearly 20 hrs with the intensity of the showers increasing after the system inched closer to the North Tamilnadu coast.
Several areas in the city and suburbs continued to remain marooned causing inconvenience to the public. The rain water has entered several households to a height of about 3 to 4 feet.
The city and the suburbs have been experiencing heavy rains since Saturday night, but got a respite from Tuesday evening to yesterday afternoon, despite intermittent showers.
Though the water logging in several areas caused due to heavy rains on Saturday-Sunday receded, the heavy non-stop rains since last evening inundated most parts of the city and many north and western suburbs resembled an island and officials used fibre boats to rescue the stranded people.
The Chennai city traffic police closed Vyasarpadi, Ganeshapuram, Gangu Reddy, Madley, Duraiswamy, Palavanthangal, Tambaram, Aranganathan, Villivakkam and the Kakkan Bridge subways due to waterlogging.
Power supply was disconnected in most parts of Chennai and adjoining Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts owing to heavy overnight rains and gusty winds and also due to cable fault, feeder tripping in the substations and shutting down as part of the precautionary
measures.
The Southern Railway temporarily suspended suburban train services on the Moore market complex to Avadi, Tiruvallur and beyond due to water logging in tracks today. However, suburban EMU train services on the other three sections were operated in reduced numbers as per Sunday schedule, railway officials said.
A few domestic and international flights were cancelled or rescheduled at the Chennai airport. Cautionary signal were hoisted in Nagappattinam, Karaikkal and other ports.