Chennai: Heavy rains have been forecasted for Tamil Nadu over the next 48 hours and in Chennai, the sky condition is likely to be generally cloudy with light rains, the weather office said, warning TN fishermen not to venture in to sea for the next 24 hours. Heavy rain is likely to occur at one or two places over Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, Sivagangai, Virudhunagar, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai districts of south Tamil Nadu, a weather bulletin said.
The low pressure prevailing over south Bay of Bengal has intensified and is likely to turn into a depression bringing rains for the next 48 hours over Tamil Nadu said, S. Balachandran, director, regional meteorological department. Heavy rains are likely to occur at one or two places at Puducherry, north coastal and south Tamil Nadu. He also cautioned fishermen not to venture in to sea as the weather department advised strong winds ranging up to 25 knots occasionally.
The weather department also advised port authorities to hoist distant cautionary signal number one at Chennai, Cuddalore, Karaikal and Nagapattinam ports. Meanwhile, catchment areas in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram on Wednesday received rains. For the week ending Wednesday, most of the districts in TN including Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Nilgiris and Erode recorded large deficiency in rains while Perambalur, Ariyalur and Tiruppur received excess rains followed by Coimbatore, Dindigul and Pudukottai districts recording normal rainfall. According to India Meteorological Department prediction, the 2016 Northeast monsoon season rainfall (between October and December) over Tamil Nadu is most likely to be normal.
NDRF on standby, ports put on alert:
Following heavy rainfall forecast for Tamil Nadu, the state government on Wednesday alerted its machinery instructing the district collectors to be on alert. The team of IAS officers deputed to monitor the monsoon arrangement works at Chennai and Cuddalore also conducted inspections and took stock on the measures in place. Top officials are also co coordinating with National Disaster Response Force teams in Arakkonam so that in case of heavy rains the force can be deployed in coastal districts, a top official said adding that all district collectors have been instructed to maintain a daily weather report card.
The state has formulated a team of 15 officials to monitor flood preparation and mitigation works in Chennai. The officials have started their field work and are now advising field staff on the gray areas that needs to be strengthened, said Chennai corporation commissioner D. Karthickeyan. “So far there is no water-logging or any major issue related to rain, but we are ready for the monsoon,” the official said.
Meanwhile, Tiruvallur district administration on Thursday conducted a training programme on rain relief operations for NGOs and volunteers identified by the revenue department. District collector A. Sundaravalli also interacted with volunteers and urged for more public participation in attending to monsoon woes.
