Travelers walk through a waterlogged area following heavy rains in Chennai, Sunday, November 7, 2021. A flood warning has been issued for people living in the suburbs of Chennai.
After a gap of six years, heavy to very heavy rains lashed Chennai and its suburbs, leading to water-logging, flooding homes in low-lying areas on Sunday and the sluice gate of three water bodies abandoned . surplus water. A weather official said that since the onset of northeast monsoon in October, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry regions have received nearly 43 per cent excess rainfall.
Since Saturday morning, it rained intermittently in several suburbs of Chennai and Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts and it rained intermittently since last night. The rain continued till Sunday, the heaviest in recent years.
Deputy Director General of Meteorology, S Balachandran said that the highest rainfall recorded in 1976 was 45 cm. Subsequently in 1985, Chennai recorded 25 cm and 33 cm of rain on two different dates. Subsequently, in 2015, the city received 25 cm of rain and now the city has recorded close to that level, he told PTI.
In the past such rainfall was recorded during the northeast monsoon in November. “We have got 43 per cent more rain,” he said.
Kamarajar Salai Bindu (DGP office on Marina beach) near Tamil Nadu Secretariat recorded the highest 23 cm and suburban Ennore in north Chennai recorded 10 cm.
Some suburban locations, including areas in nearby Tiruvallur district, received between 3 CMs (Poondi and RK Pet) and 9 CMs (Cholavaram).
The IMD on Sunday issued a ‘Red’ category warning indicating heavy rain in Tamil Nadu and neighboring Puducherry.
Meanwhile, surplus water from three reservoirs, (Poondi, Chembarambakkam, and Puzhal which meet the drinking water needs of the city) was released in a phased manner.
Rainwater entered several houses in the city and suburbs, including Saidapet, Velachery, Ambattur, Korattur and Vyasarpadi, bringing back memories of the 2015 floods in the city. People were evacuated in inflatable boats by disaster response teams from some places.
Most of the city and peripheral roads were covered with water and many trees were uprooted, disrupting traffic and disrupting transport services. People walked through ankle-deep water to reach nearby shops to buy essential items.
Relatively low level bridges, known as ‘Tharaipalam’ in Tamil, submerged many suburban areas. At least six subways were closed for traffic in view of the widespread water logging.
Revenue Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said rain water was drawn from five city subways and work is in progress with respect to eight other similar facilities, 27 uprooted trees have been removed.
Several other areas of Tamil Nadu, including delta regions like Erode and Tiruvarur, also recorded light to moderate, intermittent rains.
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