Current affairs

With Chennai inundated by the incessant rainfall, TN is issued with the alert for continuous heavy rains!

By alagu, 29 October, 2020
India, Tamilnadu, Chennai, Heavy rains

Several streets and important roads of Chennai have been now flooded as the sequel of the incessant rainfall that has inundated the city and caused a major disruption for daily lives and the city residents are bracing up for the development that the city would be showered with heavy rains for the next two days.

The rains started lashing out the city in the wee hours of Thursday after many episodes of thunderstorms that disturbed the residents and heavy rains have been continuing with high intensity from midnight and the city has been inundated with the heavy rains that have been lasting for hours. The residents woke up to see their streets got submerged and rainwater had entered their residences. 

There was no escape for the city from witnessing a heavy disruption and the important roads of Chennai have now been filled with rainwater. Roads like Anna Salai, Wall Tax Road, Decoster Road, Ambedkar College Road, roads that connect the downtown area now been inundated by heavy rainfall, and the visuals that emerge from the ground have been showing how the vehicles caught up in the traffic. 

The vehicles kept snarling on the road while the traffic police personnel were seen clearing the traffic and some vehicles had used detours that are less submerged. The Greater Chennai Corporation had deployed the sanitary workers and support staff to clear the water from the streets and roads and they have been pumping in the water and clearing the drainages. According to reports, areas like Egmore, Parrys, Kilpauk, Thiruvanmiyur, Vyasarpadi, Mylapore, and Palavakkam had witnessed heavy waterlogging. 

The reports say that Chennai had recorded over 100 mm of heavy rains in parts of the city. Mylapore recorded the highest as it had recorded 178 mm while Redhills had recorded 128 mm in the last 24 hours and Purasawalkam and Ambattur had recorded 94 mm and 90 mm respectively. According to the rainfall data released by Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority, Chennai had recorded 97.27 mm on average. 

The Regional Meteorological Department (RMD) said that the rains will continue for a few hours in Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur, and the outskirts of Chennai. As the city has been witnessing incessant rainfall in what has become the beginning of the North-East Monsoon rains, the India Meteorological Department had on Thursday morning said, "As per latest observations, intense convective clouds present over Chennai and adjoining areas of Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts have the potential to cause heavy rainfall during the next three hours till 9 am on Thursday". 

The RMD and predicted mild to moderate rains for the next 48 hours from Wednesday and the prevailing cyclonic activity would likely be showering heavy rains in some of the coastal districts of the state and southern districts like Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, and Tirunelveli. The state has been spelled with 'Yellow' alert, which would be alarming the possibilities of moderate to heavy rains. 

The reports quoted the official from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) saying that the intensity of the rains was high and the waterlogging will subside soon. According to weather blogger Pradeep John, this has been the highest rainfall the city had witnessed since November 2017. The GCC had posted the pictures of the cleared roads and said, "Water stagnation at various parts of Chennai including the subways has been cleared. Greater Chennai Corporation is working on a war foot basis to make the city, a safe place for the public during monsoon rains."

As the incessant rains had disrupted their daily lives, many residents were pushed to stay at their residence and endured a challenge in clearing the water before their residences. Many residents were seen half-merged as they walked on the streets while hundreds of motorists found it difficult to pedal through the inundated streets and roads. 

Helpline numbers of the Chennai Corporation for rain-related emergencies:

Landline: 044 2538 4530, 044 2538 4540  / Helpline:1913 

 

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