After incessant rain for nearly six hours on Thursday evening, many parts of Chennai were waterlogged, leading to massive traffic jams through the evening and on Friday morning. The city did not receive heavy rain on Friday morning.
From 8.30 am on Thursday to 8.30 am on Friday, the Nungambakkam observatory in Chennai recorded 183 mm of rainfall, while the Meenambakkam observatory recorded 141 mm, according to Skymet Weather.
Waterlogging was reported in areas such as LB Road, Taramani Link Road, Madipakkam and Velachery, The Hindu reported. Supply of water cans, newspapers, milk and vegetables was affected.
For the fourth consecutive day, schools and colleges remained shut in Chennai and other parts of coastal Tamil Nadu, NDTV reported. The state government also advised IT companies to stay shut or let people work from home, according to local media reports. Anna University and Ambedkar Law University in Chennai cancelled exams because of the incessant downpour.
The weather office had warned of heavy rain on Friday in coastal Tamil Nadu and intermittent showers in other parts of the state. But it has said that there was no reason to panic.
“Over Friday and Saturday, moderate rainfall is expected in many places in South Tamil Nadu and a few areas in the northern coastal parts of the state,” Area Cyclone Warning Centre Director S Balachandran was quoted as saying by PTI. Local weather blogger Pradeep John said heavy rain is expected on Friday night, but that the day would be relatively clear.
The state government said it had kept 115 multi-purpose shelters ready in coastal districts. Local ministers and three senior bureaucrats have been designated for each district to coordinate rescue and expedite relief operation. The State Disaster Management Agency said 3,737 people had already taken refuge at the shelters.
Minister KP Anbalagan visited waterlogged areas in Chennai’s Kovilambakkam area, ANI reported. “Now, we have worked out a Rs 600-crore master plan, which will work in various ways to drain out the water,” he said. Handlooms Minister OS Manian visited several rain-hit areas in Nagapattinam district and inspected relief works, News18 reported.
At least six people have died in rain-related incidents across Tamil Nadu since heavy showers lashed the state. The downpour has affected the districts of Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur, among other parts of Tamil Nadu, and schools in Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts have been closed since Tuesday.
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