Coastal areas between delta districts to Chennai may experience severe rainfall on Wednesday as the Meteorological department has announced the weather system to have strengthened as a depression.
According to IMD, the well marked low pressure area over southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to concentrate into a depression by Wednesday night and move west–northwestwards and reach near north Tamil Nadu coast by Thursday early morning.
Then, it is likely to continue to move further and cross north Tamil Nadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast between Karaikal and Sriharikota around Cuddalore by Thursday evening.
On Wednesday, the IMD has issued red alert for delta districts and Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram as torrential rains measuring above 20.4 cm is possible in one or two places and many places may have to brace for heavy to very heavy rainfall.
While it is orange warning for Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Sivagangai, Madurai and Cuddalore- as heavy to very heavy rain up to 20.4 cm is very likely to lash these districts, Chennai and its neighbouring districts, Villupuram, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchi and Virudhunagar and Puducherry have been issued yellow alert as heavy rains may occur.
During the past 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m., Nagapattinam and Tirupoondi recorded an extremely heavy rains of 31 cm each.
The IMD has issued impact warning of marooning of low level areas, severe damages to crops, uprooting of trees and increase in water levels. The peak rainfall may shift to north coastal areas, including Chennai, on Thursday as the weather system gets closer to the coast and some places may experience extremely heavy rainspell.
Meanwhile, the city reservoirs are being kept under close watch and the discharge level remains the same. Nearly 246 out of 528 tanks in Chengalpattu district have touched their full capacity as on Wednesday. Similarly, 158 tanks in Kancheepuram district are full so far and most others more than 25%-75%