Chennai rains: State government takes BIG decision on schools, colleges

With the heaviest downpour since 2015 drowning Chennai, the state government has taken emergency measures which include calling in the National Disaster Response Force and the closure of schools and colleges in four districts for the next two days.

Heavy rainfall has battered 4 Tamil Nadu districts including Chennai, which recorded 21 cm of rainfall till 8:30 am on November 7. With continuous rains through the night, several of the capital city’s low-lying areas have been flooded.

The meteorological department predicts spells of heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated patches of the coastal northern regions of Tamil Nadu till Wednesday. The bout of rain is due to cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal.

Chennai is expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Monday, November 8.

The rains have resulted in lakes around Chennai swelling. State authorities has been releasing water from the Chembarambakkam lake. Water released from the lake led to the Chennai floods of 2015. With a high point of 85.4 feet, the lake has swollen up to 82.35 feet. As per officials, the latest water discharge from Chembarambakkam lake is unlikely to cause flooding in the city. However, heavy rains may cause flooding in areas near Muduchur.

While schools have been directed to stay shut for the next two days in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kanchipuram, the latter two districts are also on flood alert.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has discussed response preparedness with collectors of the district. CM Stalin also went on a review of 14 regions with waterlogging. These areas include Jawahar Nagar, Egmore and Padi Bridge. The state government made a request to call in the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to aid in the ongoing rescue operations. Four NDRF teams have been deployed in the affected areas.

Rail and road connectivity has been impacted by the heavy downpour. Few flights were also delayed by air services have remained largely unaffected.