Depression to cross north TN on Thursday, state on edge
With rainfall of over 20 cm forecast for capital, people urged to stay safe indoors
Published: 11th November 2021 03:15 AM
(Photo | P Jawahar, EPS)
Express News Service
CHENNAI: As rains continued in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, two people, including a four-year-old, died in a wall collapse in Thanjavur district, and 55,000 hectares of agricultural fields went underwater. The showers intensifed at night as a well-marked low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal concentrated into a depression.
Located in the southwest Bay about 430 km from Chennai, it is very likely to near the north TN coast by Thursday morning. It is expected to cross north TN and the adjoining south Andhra coasts between Karaikal and Sriharikota near the north of Puducherry the same evening.
With extremely heavy rainfall (over 20 cm), forecast in and around Chennai from Wednesday night to Thursday afternoon, the regional meteorological centre issued a red alert for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Vellore, Tiruvanamalai, Kallakurichi, Salem and Tirupattur. Surface winds reaching 30 kmph are also likely over Chennai and its suburbs during the day.
Revenue Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said all arrangements were made and people shouldn’t step outdoors unnecessarily. In the 24 hours ending 8.30 am Wednesday, Nagapattinam recorded a whopping 310 mm of rainfall, followed by Karaikal (290 mm). Several observatories clocked over 250 mm. However, through Wednesday, rainfall reduced with Ennore Port receiving 45 mm, followed by Cheyyur 38 mm and Chennai AWS 33.5 mm. Nonetheless, Ashok Nagar, T Nagar, Pulianthope and West Mambalam in Chennai remained inundated for the fourth day.
Statewide, 3,691 irrigation tanks are brimming, while in Madurai, a third flood alert was issued as the flow in the Vaigai reached 5,000 cusecs. Another low-pressure area is likely to form in the South Andaman Sea around November 13.
