Orange alert issued for Chennai and neighboring districts as heavy rainfall continues


The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, has issued an orange alert for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts, warning that the heavy rainfall, which began Monday night, is expected to persist over the next few hours. This alert signals the potential for very heavy rainfall and possible disruptions in the affected areas.

The current weather disturbance is due to a low-pressure system that moved westward from the southwest Bay of Bengal and now lies over the southwest Bay and adjacent west-central Bay off the north Tamil Nadu coast, extending toward south Andhra Pradesh. This system is predicted to bring significant rainfall to the region.

Chennai and its surrounding areas have already seen considerable precipitation, with Madipakkam recording the highest rainfall at 66.6 mm in the past 24 hours. Other areas in the city reported rainfall amounts ranging from 15 to 64 mm. Neighborhoods such as Royapuram, Velachery, Ekkatuthangal, Tondiarpet, Ambattur, Mylapore, Alandur, Guindy, and OMR have been experiencing heavy rain since Monday night, leading to waterlogging on both interior streets and major roads.

The southern parts of Chennai have received particularly heavy downpours, with data from the Greater Chennai Corporation showing that Alandur recorded 51 mm of rainfall, Adyar 50 mm, Uthandi 45 mm, and Perungudi and Meenambakkam each reporting 42 mm.

The RMC has also extended a heavy rainfall warning to Villupuram, Vellore, and Ranipet districts, indicating that these areas may experience substantial rain in the coming hours.

Residents are advised to remain cautious, avoid waterlogged areas, and follow any further updates from local authorities and the weather department as the situation unfolds. The Greater Chennai Corporation is actively monitoring the affected zones to address waterlogging and other issues as they arise.