Chennai: At least 14 persons died in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu as overnight heavy rains crippled normal life and left many residential neighbourhoods

in Chennai marooned and left those in low lying areas looking for aid from the official machinery and volunteers.

The Meteorological Department on Thursday evening withdrew the red alert for extremely heavy rains for Chennai and neighbouring districts. However, flooded streets and snapping of electricity supply kept people largely indoors in many areas including posh residential localities such as T Nagar and Anna Nagar. Trees were uprooted in many areas and the Chennai airport had suspended operations between forenoon and 6 pm in view of the inclement weather.

Chief Minister M K Stalin continued to be out on the streets supervising relief operations and handing over aid to the affected people. The State, however, did not press for immediate monetary package from the Central Government although Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reached out to Stalin soon after the monsoon had worsened.

The Chief Minister said the Government would assess the damage once the depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal crossed by Friday and then seeking central aid.

The police force, teams of National Disaster Rescue Force and personnel of the Fire and Rescue Services were on toes attending to distress calls and moving marooned people to safer locations and relief camps.

Revenue Department Principal Secretary Kumar Jayanth confirmed that at least 14 persons had died in Tamil Nadu on account of rain related incidents. In Chennai alone 20 lakh food packets were distributed to the displaced population and about 160 uprooted trees cleared. The police had closed 13 subways in the city on account of flooding.

As of Thursday evening, a depression over southwest Bay of Bengal 30 km southeast of Chennai had started crossing the north Tamil Nadu coast and south Andhra Pradesh coast. Deputy Director General of Meteorology in Chennai, S Balachandran said, the depression was moving at a speed of 16 km per hour during the past six hours.

“We can’t say the exact location for landfall and crossing of depression unlike cyclones. Rainfall would continue till Friday morning,” he said.

The forecast is for heavy rains on Friday too in the coastal regions of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Villupura districts. He warned of strong surface winds.

The positive side of the heavy rainfall has been that most reservoirs in Tamil Nadu were fast filling up, which could help the Government sail through drinking water demand during the summer.