Tamil Nadu: Heavy rains expected till November 29, schools and colleges shut in 22 districts

Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall till November 29, the India Meteorological Department predicted on Thursday. The weather agency also said that isolated heavy rainfall was very likely in south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam and Rayalaseema till Saturday.

In view of the rains, the weather agency has issued a red alert in five districts of Tamil Nadu – Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai and Nagapattinam. Schools and colleges in 22 out of 38 districts in the state have been closed after several areas were flooded, reported NDTV.

Thoothukudi recorded 26 centimetres of rainfall, the highest among all districts, between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on Thursday, reported The Hindu.

The weather department has said that a low pressure area is likely to form over south Andaman Sea around November 29. It was likely to move west-northwestwards in the next 48 hours, it said.

Incessant rain in Tamil Nadu has led to waterlogging and flooding in several areas. Crops in more than 50,000 hectares have been destroyed. Over 2,300 homes have also been damaged due to the downpour that has been pounding the state since October.

Tamil Nadu has received 68% more than average rainfall this monsoon season.

Kerala receives highest rainfall in six decades

Meanwhile, Kerala has recorded its highest rainfall in six decades, the Hindustan Times reported, citing data from the weather department.

Kerala received 3,523.3 millimetres of rainfall till November 24 – slightly higher than 3,518.9 millimetres recorded in 2018. The highest rainfall of 4,257 millimetres was recorded in 1961.

This year, Kerala recorded excess rainfall in January, March, April, May, September, October and November.

During the northwest monsoon season (October 1 to December 31), Pathanamthitta district received 186% excess rainfall, followed by Kannur (143%), Kasaragod (141%), Kozhikode (135%) and Idukki (119%).