A well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is set to bring rain to the State for two or three more days. While northern parts of the State are likely to see rainfall at many places, a few weather stations in south Tamil Nadu are also likely to record rainfall till Friday.
There is a possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall, up to 24 cm, in north districts and Puducherry on Thursday, according to officials of the Meteorological Department.
Here are the latest updates:
Heavy rain in Kancheepuram
Thirukazhukundram in Kancheepuram district recorded 51.20 mm of rain wthin two hours (between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.) on Thursday, Nov. 22, which is almost half the quantum of rain received during the 24-hour period starting from 8 a.m. on Wednesday.
Vehicles wading through a rain-logged area in north Chennai on Wednesday. Several parts of Chennai and its suburbs received moderate rainfall since Tuesday night. | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
Similarly, during the same time on Thursday, Kancheepuram district recorded 21 mm of rain which is around 57 percent of the total quantity of rain recorded in during previous 24-hours period. _ V. Venkatasubramanian
Chennai: 9 cm rainfall in 24 hrs
Image shows water-clogged pathway leading to the Big Mosque in Triplicane, Chennai on Thursday. | Photo Credit: R. Ragu
Weather stations at Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam record 9 cm of rainfall in the past 24 hours ending 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. Intermittent rains, that may be heavy at times in Chennai, may continue on Thursday.
Schools, colleges closed
A scene near the Central Railway Station in Chennai. | Photo Credit: R. Ragu
Schools and colleges in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur will remain closed on Thursday. The respective Collectors declared a holiday following rain.
Anna University exams postponed in 3 districts
The examinations scheduled from 22-11-2018 for affiliated colleges of Anna University will be conducted as scheduled.
However, the examinations scheduled on 22-11-2018 and 23-11-2018 will not be conducted for the colleges located in Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur and Pudukkottai districts (College Codes: 8201, 8202, 8203, 8204, 8208, 8211, 8215, 8216, 8217, 8222, 8226, 8123, 8128, 8144, 8302, 9103, 9109, 9112, 9114, 9116, 9117, 9124 and 9126).
The schedule for the postponed examinations for the colleges in the districts of Nagapattinam Thiruvarur and Pudukottai districts will be announced later.
Rains to continue for three days
Several parts of the rain-starved Chennai city received moderate rainfall since Tuesday night. Intermittent rain over the city is likely to continue till Friday but the intensity may reduce from Thursday.
Low-pressure area
S. Balachandran, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Chennai, said there was a well-marked low-pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal Tamil Nadu.
“This will ensure moderate rain over Tamil Nadu till Saturday. There is no chance for the weather system to intensify into a depression,” he added.
A view of a damaged house, which got collapsed due to overnight rain, at Emaneswaram in Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district. | Photo Credit: L. Balachandar
As the system moves westwards, interior parts will begin to get more rainfall on Thursday. Surface winds may blow with a speed of 45 km per hour and at times 55 km per hour in districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Vellore, under the influence of the weather system, he said.
The rain has brought only a marginal inflow of 15 million cubic feet of water to the city’s waterbodies.
A child's concern
Children wait for their doll to dry up as they sit on a railway track running past a fishermen's village which faced destruction due to cyclone Gaja, at Adhiramapattinam in Thanjavur district. | Photo Credit: PTI
Call to declare T.N. disaster-prone zone
The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Wednesday called for declaration of entire Tamil Nadu as disaster-prone zone, in view of repeated natural disasters striking the State in the recent past.
At its high-level committee meeting chaired by the party Mr. Vaiko urged the government to write off electricity charges and land tax in the cyclone Gaja-affected districts. The Centre must immediately sanction relief funds sought by the State government for restoration of normalcy.
Relief works lauded
Meanwhile, Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday had a word of appreciation for the “hard work” being put in by the officials in carrying out relief and restoration works in the cyclone affected Nagapattinam district.
“I found they have been working hard without rest or anything – all the officers of the district, those who have been given responsibilities, everybody is working,” Mr. Purohit said in a brief interaction with mediapersons while inspecting the damage caused by cyclone Gaja and the relief measures launched by the State government in the district on Wednesday.
(With inputs from our Tamil Nadu bureau, Agencies)