11 per cent excess rainfall from October 1

Chennai: Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have recorded 11 per cent excess rainfall, from October 1 till date, said S Balachandran, Deputy Director-General of Meteorology. Chennai, however, rainfall is still at a deficit of eight per cent, he claimed. He was speaking to reporters here at Nungambakkam.

“At present, a trough of low pressure lies over the south-west bay of Sri Lanka and the south Tamil Nadu coast, and a low-pressure area lies over the south-east Arabian Sea”, he explained.

While 17 places in the state recorded heavy rainfall, three places received very heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours, he informed.

Meanwhile, the state witnessed heavy downpour for the third consecutive day, even as normal life took a severe hit in various parts of the state. The rainfall has reportedly caused severe damage to lives, livelihood, and property across the state.

The state government on Monday announced that as many as 25 people have died in various rain-related mishaps in Tamilnadu since November 29, includi-
ng the 17 lives that were lost due to a wall collapse at Mettupalayam, Coimbatore on Monday.

The authorities have set up 176 relief centres and nearly 1,000 people have been accommodated in these camps in Cuddalore, Tuticorin, and Tirunelveli.

Officials have also assured that all concerned departments have been alerted and are equipped to take stock of the situation. Rescue forces have been deployed at all high-risk areas and boats have been kept ready at 109 places to evacuate people if needed.

Among districts, Mettupalayam in Coimbatore recorded the highest amount of rainfall on Monday at 18 cm. Nilgiris, Karur, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur also received heavy rainfall.

A Skymet weather forecast read, “Presently two weather systems can be seen in the surrounding of South India. One is the well-marked low-pressure area over Southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining equatorial Indian ocean which is likely to move in northwest direction and will subsequently intensify into a depression.

Another system is the low-pressure area over the Arabian Sea. This system will as well intensify further and will move in the northwest direction. These systems are responsible for giving heavy rains over Kerala, South Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. However, as these weather systems will gradually move in the northwest direction, the intensity of rains will take a dip in Tamil Nadu.”

Meanwhile, schools and colleges in Chennai, Tuticorin, Tiruvallur, and Kanchipuram were shut down on Monday.

A flood alert has been sounded to the people living on the banks of the Bhavani river in Erode. The incessant rainfall has also caused the Manimangalam lake in Sriperambadur to overflow, thereby flooding the residential areas nearby.

The overflow is originally directed to the Adyar canal, but due to the blocks in the water passageway, the water entered the nearby low-lying areas, claimed a source.

The IMD has predicted heavy to very rainfall in Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagercoil, Puducherry, Dindugal, Theni, Thirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Kanyakumari districts.