CHENNAI: Before Chennai residents could fully recover from the recent floods, another low pressure is likely to head towards north Tamil Nadu. This weather system is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rains to the region between November 17 and 19.
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai on Monday issued an orange alert (12-20 cm of rainfall) to Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Ranipet, Vellore, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai and delta districts.
According to the mid-day forecast bulletin, a low pressure area lies over the north Andaman Sea and neighbourhood, which is likely to move west-northwestwards and become well marked in the next 48 hours. Later, it is expected to reach west central and southwest Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh-north TN coasts on November 18.
All weather models show heavy rains for north of Chennai from November 17 evening. Initially, the models suggested the system would intensify into a cyclone and head towards Visakhapatnam and Odisha coast, but now it will be a well-marked low pressure system heading towards north TN and south AP. “If it weakens further, Chennai would get a bulk of the rains,” said K Srikanth, an independent weather blogger who runs the ChennaiRains Twitter handle.
Drone survey conducted
N Subbaiyan, director of Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority, told TNIE a drone survey was carried out to identify lakes and other waterbodies that could breach and cause flash floods in the State.
‘Lessons learnt, Tamil Nadu keeping reservoirs at 75 per cent’
“We have teams on standby to meet any eventuality based on sound planning. All precautions are taken,” said an official. A lesson from the past disasters was to regulate the flood water discharge from dams in a way that drains the water smoothly, causing minimal trouble. “We are maintaining around 75 per cent storage in most of reservoirs and once the meteorological department confirms the location and rain intensity, we will adjust the outflows,” said Subbaiyan.
CM MK Stalin visits Kanniyakumari
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin on Monday visited flood-affected areas in Kanniyakumari. Later, he chaired a review meeting regarding flood damages and restoration works. According to a government report on Monday, 118 houses were partially damaged and 27 were fully damaged