Chennai: Heavy rains continued to lash Chennai and other coastal districts of Tamilnadu due to the presence of a cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area and adjoining Sri Lankan coast.
The Met office, which had issued red alert for all the coastal districts for two days, today said the steady spells of heavy rain are expected to continue in the State, especially over the coastal and adjoining districts for the next two days due to the slower movement of the cyclonic circulation.
The Chennai city and suburbs which had been getting incessant but heavy rains since last night, reeled under water-logging.
Several areas were inundated with knee-deep water forcing the people to remain indoors. While several key roads in the city came under thick sheets of water, the situation was more pathetic in suburbs, which resembled an island.
Apart from Chennai, the north coastal districts including the neighbouring Chengalpet, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts were pounded by heavy rains last night, which were accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Several areas in Kanchipuram district received rains in excess of 10 cm till this morning.
As all the reservoirs in and around Chennai, which have already filled to the brim due to the recent rains, receiving copious inflow against, water from the Chembarambakkam lake, one of the major drinking water sources for Chennai city, has again been stepped up to 3,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) from this morning.
The suburban Avadi coming under Tiruvallur district bore the brunt of the rainfall, receiving the highest of 20 cms of rain till 6 am this morning.
It was followed by Mamallapuram and Chengalpet (18 cm each), Sholavaram (15 cm); Kundrathur and Cheyyur (13 cm); Ponneri, Chembarambakkam, Ambattur and Kancheepuram (12 cm each ); Red Hills (11 cm).
Several areas of Chennai city and the suburban Meenambakkam observatory received 10 cms of rains each, which was enough to cripple normal life.
Four subways were closed for traffic due to water-logging and traffic was diverted in several areas, even as the Greater Chennai Corporation authorities were engaged in pumping out rain waters using motor pumps.
Similarly the other coastal districts of Cuddalore, Karaikal, Nagapattinam too received heavy rains.