CHENNAI: The regional meteorological centre (RMC) has issued a red alert to nine districts, including Chennai, in Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry for Wednesday. While heavy to very heavy rain is expected at a few places, extremely heavy rain is likely at one or two places over Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts, and Puducherry and Karaikal regions.
On Sunday, the RMC had issued an orange alert to Chennai and surrounding districts with the possibility of extremely heavy rains in isolated places on Wednesday. However, it has been changed to red alert as extremely heavy rainfall is likely in one or two places. The extremely heavy rainfall alert is issued when there is a possibility of a region receiving more than 20.4cm of rainfall.
An orange alert has been issued for Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Ariyalur and Thanjavur for heavy to very heavy rain for Wednesday.
The met department has issued an orange alert with the possibility of heavy to very heavy rain at a few places and extremely heavy rain at one or two places over Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts and Karaikal region on Tuesday. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely at over isolated places in Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Perambalur and Thanjavur districts and Puducherry on the same day.
Monsoon rainfall in TN may be higher than normal
The rainfall is due to a low-pressure area that has formed under the influence of an upper-air cyclonic circulation over southeast Bay of Bengal as of 5.30 am on Monday.
It is likely to become a well-marked low-pressure area and move west-northwestwards towards northern Tamil Nadu and adjoining southern Andhra coasts during the next two days, the RMC said. Meanwhile, there is a depression over central Arabian Sea, which is moving slowly west-northwestwards towards the coast of Oman and is likely to weaken gradually into a well-marked low-pressure area in the next 24 hours, it added.
It is predicted that the northeast monsoon rainfall in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, northern Karnataka, Rayalaseema and southern Andhra will be higher than normal. The rainfall is expected to happen between late evening and early morning, said S Balachandran, Additional Director General of Meteorology, RMC, Chennai.
Fishers cautioned on wave surges in beach
The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has issued a Swell Surge warning to southern Kerala and southern TN for October 15 and 16, due to high energy swell waves that are approaching the Indian coast from distant southern Indian Ocean.
Coastal flooding is expected in low-lying areas of southern Kerala, particularly in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, and southern Tamil Nadu, particularly in districts of Kanniyakumari (Kolachel, Kurumpaynai), Thoothukudi (between Periyathalai to Vembar) and Tirunelveli (between Kuttapulli to Kooduthalai), and the Lakshadweep islands, starting from 2.30 pm on October 15 till 11.30 pm on October 16, peaking around 5.30 pm on October 15.
Fishermen and other coastal populations have been cautioned regarding intermittent wave surges in the nearshore/beach region, particularly in low-lying areas. Small vessels have been advised not to ply nearshore. Boats may be anchored at a fair distance from each other, to avoid collision and damage.
School holiday
Holiday for schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu on Tuesday
IT employees have been advised to work from home on October 15 & 18
More metro trains to be operated on October 15, 16 and 17