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Weather systems that escaped IMD radars

 Weather systems that escaped IMD radars

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U.Tejonmayam @timesgroup.com

01.01.2022

IMD is at the centre of criticisms for failing to forecast Thursday’s brought 201. 2mm and 148. 9mm of rain in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam respectively.

On Friday, IMD officials explained that the previous day’s spell was due to sudden and fast movement of an easterly trough (an elongated region of low pressure) from Bay of Bengal to the city which the ground and satellite-based observation instruments failed to pick up.

The trough, which was originally expected to bring heavy rainfall to districts south of Chennai on Friday, carried rain-bearing clouds with it. These clouds stationed over the city bringing continuous heavy spells. The city, which already recorded 9% excess rainfall during the June-September season (500. 2mm), has added 1360. 4mm of rain this northeast monsoon (October-December) season against a normal of 784mm. This is an an excess of 74%, officials said. The state received 59% excess rain this year.

N Puviarasan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD, told TOI the easterly trough extending from south to north Tamil Nadu led to formation of clouds that moved over the city coast and remained stationary. The movement of the easterly trough and the clouds was supported by a westerly trough above it at an altitude of 10km.

“On the eastern side of this trough, there was convergence and on the western side there was divergence. The convergence caused the formation of clouds. The trough and clouds moved fast over the city coast bringing steady heavy spells. None of the ground or satellite observations were able to pick this up,” he said.

The IMD said a dense network of ground-based instruments may improve forecast accuracy but it may still be difficult to forecast the intensity of rainfall over specific locations.

For the next 48 hours, IMD has forecast thunderstorms with heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places in the city. Skymet Weather, in its online post, said heavy rainfall may continue over the city till January 1 and may reduce by January 2 and 3.

Does your vehicle sputter? It’s the rainwater in petrol

Does your vehicle sputter? It’s the rainwater in petrol

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:01.12.2021

Flooding on Chennai streets has affected the quality of fuel sold at petrol pumps in the region.

Despite precautionary measures, the surface runoff water had entered the underground storage tanks at a few retail outlets, particularly those in flooded suburban areas.

On Monday, motorists, who refilled fuel tanks in Thiruvallur, were shocked when they found out that petrol mixed with water was sold to them. This also led to a verbal brawl.

K Murali, president of TN Dealers Association said, "This is why we requested petroleum companies to stop supply of ethanol-mixed-petrol temporarily during the rainy season". Not all petrol pumps are equipped to prevent entry of rainwater. So, when runoff leaks through the manholes of underground storage tanks in bunks during rains, water gets mixed with ethanol in the fuel, said Murali.

Manikandan, a mechanic from Madipakkam, said that people usually don't suspect fuel adulteration.

ADULTERATION: A motorist shows diluted petrol at a fuel bank Thiruvallur

No respite from inundation for Iyyapanthangal residents

No respite from inundation for Iyyapanthangal residents

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:01.12.2021

About 5000 residents in Iyyappanthangal village panchayat have been under four feet deep water for over two weeks now, thanks to a private person who encroached upon a canal that takes excess rainwater from Porur lake to Adyar river. The panchayat administration has done little to resolve their flooding issues that they are facing for over ten years now.

Close to 45000 people reside here and about 10000 live in flood-hit areas alone such as EVP Prabu Avenue, Dhanalakshmi Nagar, Sri Sai Nagar, Kumaran Nagar, Maduram Nagar. They have to walk through hip deep water every time they need to purchase essentials or go for work. Boats have been deployed but not everyone can access them. The residents have been cut off from the main roads for the last two weeks with water level showing no signs of receding.

Pattabiraman, Vice president of Maduram Nagar welfare association said that excess water from Chembarabakkm lake when let out comes to the area via a canal and reaches Porur lake. Once this lake is filled up, the water must go to Adyar river via various disposal points. However, there is a reverse flow from Porur lake causing heavy inundation in the area due to blocked canals.

“A culvert that was an outlet from the lake on the eastern side has been blocked which is why our area is getting flooded now. We didn’t have any problem in 2008. The surplus water from Porur lake would exit at 13.895 km from Perungalathur NHAI toll road. This was not functional as a private person from Moulivalkam village sealed the outlet on both sides with cement concrete. The canal that goes up to Kundrathur road is enchroached. Multistoried buildings have also been built upon canal path,” he said.

Senthil Kumar, an RTI activist, said that while it was true that the area is low-lying, it had enough canals and drains carrying excess rainwater to Porur lake. “Why should residents pay the price for government inaction on encroachment,” he said.

The panchayat residents have also opposed the government’s decision to join it with Mangadu municipality. “We are not even half a kilometre away from Chennai corporation. We should be added to the corporation. Only then, our civic woes will reduce,” said Senthil.

An official said that the public works department had constructed a check-dam to store water from Porur lake.

MONSOON EFFECT: Residents use makeshift boats to move around in Dhanalakshi Nagar near Iyyappanthangal where water has not receded for the last two weeks

Rain to ease from Tuesday onwards

Rain to ease from Tuesday onwards

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.11.2021

The city will experience heavy rain for one more day before it subsides to light spells of rain for the rest of the week.

A met department forecast for the city and the suburbs said that thunderstorms with heavy rain are likely to occur for the next 24 hours.

After this, the rain will reduce into light to moderate showers in some areas. It may remain so till Wednesday after which there is a possibility of a dry spell till a new system is formed in the Bay of Bengal.

The met department has said that a low pressure area is likely to form over south Andaman Sea around November 30. "It is likely to become more marked and move west-northwestwards during subsequent 48 hours," the forecast said. However, the system is not likely to bring rain to Chennai as per the current forecast. The met department says that it may bring rain over north coastal Andhra and Odisha from December 3.

There was intermittent heavy rain throughout the day on Sunday. The southern suburbs received the maximum rain causing inundation in many neighbourhoods. and Meenambakkam 61mm, West Tambaram received 42.5mm, Chennai received 11mm rain. Nungambakkam 9.8 mm Anna University 20mm, MRC Nagar 21mm, Taramani 22 and Nandanam 17mm.

Private weather bloggers said that there will be intermittent rain till Wednesday but there will not be intense spells. The heavy rain is shifting to the southern districts.

The city is receiving rain due to the impact of a cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area and Sri Lanka.

Parts of OMR flooded, Thazhambur cut off

Parts of OMR flooded, Thazhambur cut off

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.11.2021

Traffic was disrupted in some parts of OMR and Thazhambur, off the IT corridor, was cut off on Sunday after excess rainwater from water bodies spilled on to roads. While at least four locations between Semmencherry and Kalavakkam were flooded, roads in Thazhambur were under almost six ft of water.

Water bodies breached. Water from the Padur lake ran over OMR from west to east, slowing down traffic, while Semmencherry was waterlogged and motorists took the service road. The stretch near Kelambakkam came under a thick sheet of water. Social media platforms were flooded with videos of OMR turning into a stream and part of the bridge near Kelambakkam developing cracks.

S Vasudevan, councillor of Muttukadu panchayat, said the road from Padur to Kelambakkam was inundated, inconveniencing motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders. “A street at Padur has been dug to facilitate the movement of water from a lake that had entered the area and which is flowing on OMR,” he said.

At Thazhambur, about 7km north of Padur, the entire area was under a thick sheet of water. C R Raghunathan, a resident, said the area which is homes to about 10,000 people was cut off from the rest of the city. “There is no boat service available to ferry the locals," he said.

Chengalpet administration officials said buses and tractors are available to ferry people. Pointing out that there is a missing link of 300 metres of water channel, an official said steps are being taken to construct a culvert to avert flooding.

NO RESPITE: A flooded stretch on OMR near Sathyabama University in Chennai on Sunday

FIVE ROADS, SUBWAY CLOSED FOR TRAFFIC

FIVE ROADS, SUBWAY CLOSED FOR TRAFFIC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

27.11.2021

Five roads were closed for traffic and vehicles were diverted on Friday morning due to the wet spell. The Rangarajapuram subway and Rajamannar Road in K K Nagar were closed for traffic since Friday morning. All vehicles were diverted towards Second Avenue.

At Valasaravakkam, traffic near Mega Mart was diverted towards Keshavardhani Road to reach Arcot Road.

The traffic on Vani Mahal to Benz Park was closed and diverted towards Habibullah road and Raghavaiah road. To facilitate the drain water work at Anna main Road in front of K K Nagar, GH. The traffic towards Udhayam theatre was allowed in the opposite direction. At Udhayam junction, heavy vehicles from Kasi theatre going towards Anna main road were diverted towards Ashok pillar.

Rangarajapuram subway and three roads in T Nagar, K K Nagar and Manali were closed on Friday morning. Traffic cops have been assigned to find out traffic blocks and report it to civic authorities. However, interior stretches like GN Chetty Roadm Rajamannar Salai and Adyar witnessed traffic bottlenecks during the day.

Places like T Nagar, Nandanam, Adyar, Mount Road and Periamet witnessed traffic jams during peak hours, while movement of vehicles slowed down in interior roads due to water-logging. In Kancheepuram, 100 villagers petitioned the collector to help them find an alternative route as the Walajabad - Avanur causeway was washed away in the rain.

AP flood death toll goes up to 41

AP flood death toll goes up to 41

12 Deaths Reported On Sunday; Several Towns Still Remain Under Water

Sandeep.Raghavan@timesgroup.com

Tirupati: 22.11.2021

The flood situation in Andhra Pradesh continued to be grim with arterial roads cut off even as the toll increased to 41 with 12 more deaths reported on Sunday.

Train and bus services remained affected while many villages and towns in Rayalaseema and Nellore district remained under water.

Streams, rivulets and village tanks were full to the brim and a few of them were overflowing causing concern to people living in lowlying areas.

On Sunday, six more bodies were retrieved in Rajampet mandal and two bodies in Chinnamandem mandal of Kadapa district, while four deaths were reported in Nellore district. Officials said 15 bodies were handed over to the families. Three unidentified bodies are lying at Rajampet government hospital in Kadapa district. Two siblings, including a woman, who tried to cross over Mandavya river in Chinnamandem mandal, were washed away in the strong currents and their bodies were retrieved near Vandadi village.

While two, including a constable, have been reported dead in Nellore district, two unidentified bodies were retrieved near Somasila project on Sunday. Officials in Nellore have evacuated 44,275 people from low-lying areas and shifted them to 92 relief camps.

The road bridge connecting Kadapa-Tadipatri towns along the Papagni river collapsed due to the impact of flood in the early hours on Sunday. Road connectivity to several villages along the route remained suspended.

Meanwhile, a threestorey building came crashing down at Kadapa town in the early hours of Sunday. Police and firefighting personnel rescued a man and a woman.

Rail and road connectivity to the temple city of Tirupati remained cut off with the closure of Kadapa-Tirupati highway, Nellore-Tirupati highway, and Bengaluru-Tirupati highway. Also, Tiruttani-Tirupati highway was closed. South Central Railway cancelled 42 trains, partially cancelled one train and diverted 3 trains along Nellore-Padugupadu section of Vijayawada division and Rajampet-Nandalur of Guntakal division on Sunday.

Nearly 2,000 devotees, who boarded the Tirumala Express to reach Tirupati, were dropped off at Kadapa railway station, sparking off protests. Officials later arranged special buses and shifted them to Tirupati.

THROWING LIFE OUT OF GEAR: Children swimming in a flooded street in Tirupati on Sunday. Traffic along the national highway 16 connecting Kolkata with Chennai via Andhra Pradesh came to a halt after the road caved in at two places near Nellore on Sunday