Rain pelts, wind gusts, mercury dips as Chennai receives 23.5 mm of rainfall

Wind speed routinely touched 10 kmph and the reduced atmospheric moisture, and the subsequent rise in humidity, contributed to the freezing effect felt by the unfortunate motorists on the road, as rain once again made landfall.

“I have not felt this cold driving on Anna Salai during the evening. The rain drops felt chill,” said G. Balaji, a motorist. By late evening, air temperature had dropped to sub 23 degree levels contributing to the atmospheric chillness.

Even as the Chennai Corporation was prepping itself for more rain damage, residents of waterlogged areas, who are slowly recuperating their way to normalcy, felt that any more rainfall would severely cripple them.

“After weeks, only today did the corporation officials come to inspect waterlogged portions in our area,” said Srinivasan, a resident of LIC Nagar in Pallikaranai. However, officials were remaining cautious and on alert. Despite the threat of more rainfall, officials told DC that they have not evacuated more families from along the banks of river Cooum and Adyar. As far as rainfall is concerned, the meteorological department has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in all districts while fishermen have been advised to not venture into the sea. Across the State, Kodavasal in Tiruvarur district received the highest rainfall from Sunday evening until Monday morning at 12 cm while Marakkanam in Villupuram received 10 cm rainfall. Vanur, Thirupuvanam, Manamelkudi, Thirumanur, Papanasam, Ayikudi were among other places which received around nine cm rainfall.

Chennai city has received 1166.7 mm of rainfall since the start of the north east monsoon on October 1, which is 84 per cent more than what is normal and is also the second highest of all districts, behind Kanchipuram.