CHENNAI:Dog days might have set in over a week ago, but Tamil Nadu received widespread rains on Friday as well, bringing the mercury down and filling dams and reservoirs, though some lives were lost in lightning strikes.
Officials at the Regional Meteorological Centre said the present weather conditions will continue in parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for two more days.
While it only drizzled lightly in the city, districts including Madurai, Tiruvannamalai, Coimbatore, Tiruvarur, Karur and Puducherry, witnessed significant precipitation.
Tirumangalam in Madurai recorded the highest rainfall of 14 cm, while Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai and Mettupalayam in Coimbatore recorded 7 cm each. Puducherry received 8-cm rainfall. The heavy rains affected normal life in Madurai and Theni districts. The catchment areas of Vaigai dam received abundant rain in the last three days, resulting in the water level raising from 36.2 feet to 41.1 feet on Friday. The district had received 38.1 mm rains on Thursday.
Compared to other districts, Chennai received only mild showers in some areas. However, coming as it did in the midst of kathiri, residents were elated as the drizzle kept the temperature down.
S R Ramanan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Regional Meteorological Centre, attributed the weather to the upper air circulation in Lakshadweep and adjoining areas of Kerala extending up to 3.6 km above mean sea level.