CHENNAI: With heavy rainfall battering many parts of Chennai throughout the day on Tuesday, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Nungambakkam said the city had received the highest single-day rainfall in January, in over a century, with an average rainfall of 123 mm recorded.
Kelambakkam alone recorded a whopping 210 mm rainfall in a single day until Wednesday morning. This was followed by Guindy and Tambaram which received 162 mm each. Interior Tamil Nadu and southern districts are expected to experience thunderstorm and light to moderate rain over the next 48 hours.
Isolated areas of Nilgiris, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Villupuram will receive heavy rain. Following the opening of the Chembarambakkam reservoirs, many parts of Chennai city, including KK Nagar and Guindy, got inundated on Wednesday. Intense showers continued through the day as well. Water was also released from Chembarambakkam reservoir after the water level touched 23 feet.
The day-long rainfall in Chennai was unusual, given that the city received little rainfall during the northeast monsoon last year. Officials at the Regional Meteorological Centre said the rainfall was caused due to an easterly trough over north Tamil Nadu.
As per data available with Metrowater, 14.6 mm of rainfall was received at Poondi reservoir, 33 mm each at Cholavaram and Red Hills, 15 mm at Kannankottai Thervoykandigai and 17 mm at Chembarambakkam.