CHENNAI: A continuous sheet of rain pouring with the same intensity for hours together is not what you normally get to see in Chennai. Yet, that was how it rained, reducing visibility on the roads and flooding most streets. Thank God it was Sunday, so there was minimal traffic, lesser chaos. And it isn’t going to get any better in the next couple of days.
According to the Regional Meteorological Department, the weather is only going to worsen. “The next four days is going to bring heavier showers than the weekend,” warned S B Thampi, Deputy Director General of the Regional Meteorogical Centre, Chennai.
On Sunday, Chennai city alone had seen 12 cm and 17 cm of rainfall recorded in its Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam stations, respectively. The only good news Thampi had to give the State for the next week was that there would be no cyclone.
Widespread rainfall has caused havoc in several parts of Tamil Nadu over the last week, with flooding in several parts of the State, including the capital city. The rainfall is only set to increase. The low pressure formation now assaulting the State had intensified into a well marked low pressure formation, said Met department sources, adding that Monday and Tuesday were set to see a significantly higher rainfall than the weekend’s.
The weather formation is set to move towards Northern Tamil Nadu, Coastal Tamil Nadu, South Coastal Andhra Pradhesh, Rayalaseema and Southern Interior Karnataka.
On Sunday, several districts in the region received heavy rainfall — Tiruttani (5 cm), Vellore (4 cm) and Cuddalore (4 cm), between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm. Puducherry recorded 7 cm, and almost every other coastal district saw significant rainfall. The Meteorological Department’s warning of heavy rains to come has also prompted the State Fisheries Department to advise all fishermen from venturing into the sea. Across TN, 16 districts have declared holidays for schools, some among those for colleges too. Anna University, University of Madras and Ambedkar Law University have postponed exams.