It rained 200 mm in 12 hours in Tamil Nadu

Though November rainfall just fell short of breaking 100-year-old record by 38 mm, the December month is likely to breach all records and has also begun on a wet note, rather disastrous way considering the rain repair works were still on in the city bearing the brunt of the northeast monsoon since last month.

After a brief lull, heavy rains resumed overnight on Monday and peaked on Tuesday morning and continued all day crippling the normal life.

Already, the state’s seasonal rainfall from October 1 to November 25 is recorded at 484.7 mm as against the normal rainfall of 334.7 mm, a 45 per cent excess. Among the districts that recorded highest rainfall, Chennai ranks second after Kancheepuram receiving 1,140.4 mm, almost doubling the normal rainfall.

Many weather stations have recorded over 15 cm of rainfall in Chennai and its suburbs, but the worst affected was usual suspect Tambaram which received a mammoth 35 cm of rainfall coupled with gusty winds. The catchments of Chembarambakkam reservoir also received over 30 cm of rainfall forcing the government to open the flood gates. Kattupakkam suburb also got pounded with close to 30 cm of downpour. Places like Poonamallee, Puzhal, Taramani, Anna University, Kolapakkam and Avadi too recorded over and above 15 cm of rainfall.

The weather forecast for next five days is equally worrisome as widespread heavy rains are predicted across the state, especially the north coastal districts, including Chennai. The neighbouring Puducherry was also pounded by overnight rains recording at 15.2 cm in last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Tuesday.

The suburban service between Beach and Tambaram was affected with trains running only until Pallavaram. “I have my friends waiting at Tambaram station and they told me there have been no train since afternoon,” a perplexed S. Vijay Kumar told Deccan Chronicle at Guindy station.

By 2 pm, the service towards Tambaram was stopped near St Thomas Mount for a long time as rainfall increased. Railway police told Deccan Chronicle that the Pallavaram-bound trains were being operated in the main line. Subsequently, several passenger services were delayed by over two hours.

Many suburban services on Beach-Tambaram route as well as Central-Arakkonam-Tiruvallur route were cut as railway authorities told Deccan Chronicle that inclement weather in Avadi, Pattabiram and other northern city suburbs contributed to the cancellation.

However, MRTS services were unaffected largely although the movement of the trains was considerably slower.