CHENNAI: With the Northeast monsoon still active over Tamil Nadu, light to moderate rain is likely to occur in some parts of Chennai in the next 48 hours. Four places in the state recorded extremely heavy rainfall while 17 places recorded very heavy rainfall in the 24 hours ending on Monday afternoon, said S Balachandran, director, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, at a press meet on Monday. Apart from this, 55 places in the state registered heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours.
Sirkali in Mayiladuthurai recorded 23 cm rainfall, the highest in state, while Chidambaram, Velankanni and Tiruvarur recorded 23, 22 and 21 cm each. From 8.30 am to 5.30 pm on Monday, Chennai’s Meenambakkam recorded 5 mm rainfall, while Puducherry recorded 2.5 cm. In the next 24 hours till Tuesday afternoon, one or two places over Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai and Chengalpattu districts may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall while one or two places over Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Thanjavur, Kallakurichi, Salem, Vellore, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chennai may receive heavy rainfall, Balachandran said. Isolated places over Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram districts may also receive heavy rain on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari districts, according to the RMC bulletin. Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Thiruvarur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Ranipet, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam and Kallakurichi districts had declared holiday for schools on Monday.
“Two days from now, rains will reduce in most parts of the state but southern districts might receive heavy rain till January 11 or 12,” Balachandran said. Minister KKSSRR Ramachandran, who visited the state emergency operation centre to assess precautionary measures taken by district administrations, said instructions given to collectors for rain management and keep rain shelters ready with basic facilities. He also cautioned fishermen from venturing into the sea till January 11. The minister added that motor pumps and earth movers are being used to drain stagnant rainwater from low-lying areas.