Rain Updates: Heavy Showers Lash 3 Districts in Andhra; Flooding in Tirupati, Traffic Disrupted; TN to Set Up Health Camps After Downpour

In view of the heavy rainfall in several districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and the reservoirs in the region getting heavy inflows, the Central Water Commission (CWC) on Thursday issued an advisory for the dam operators to keep strict vigil and release water carefully. The heavy rainfall is a result of the depression over Bay of Bengal, which moved north-westwards and crossed north Tamil Nadu and the adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Chennai during Friday night, the IMD said.

The India Meteorological Department issued flash flood warnings for Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. “The depression is not deep. But the rainfall is expected to be high mainly because the north-east monsoon is active and hence the moist north-easterly winds converging along Tamil Nadu coast would bring in copious amounts of rainfall," said IMD’s senior scientist Sunitha Devi on Thursday. IMD has issued a forecast of high rainfall of more than 250 mm in the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Several areas in Tirupati were inundated on Thursday after heavy rains lashed Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district, causing massive flooding. Water levels in and around Tirupati, Tirumala, and the rest of the district have risen to the point where they threaten to enter houses, including Madhura Nagar, Gollavani Gunta, Lakshmipuram, the Air Bypass road, Chandragiri town, and the Kapila Theertham temple at the foot of the Tirumala hills, the News Minute reported. Flooding has also caused traffic disruptions.

The IMD has also predicted widespread rainfall in Karnataka over the next four days. For today, the met department has issued an orange alert for Bengaluru and the Ghats, and a yellow alert in some coastal districts and the north interior of Karnataka.

💧 TN to Set Up Health Camps After Downpour: The Tamil Nadu health department has directed the district collectors to conduct medical camps to prevent the outbreak of any infectious diseases after the floods and incessant rainfall. The state health secretary Dr. J. Radhakrishnan has called upon the district collectors to conduct medical camps in all the flood-affected areas and to prevent any outbreak of diseases. In areas where inundation has taken place and water has receded, the state health department has directed collectors to spray bleaching powder, clear debris and garbage, stop the overflowing of sewage with water, fogging, chlorinating water, and reduce mosquito breeding. The state health department has also directed the district collectors to conduct mobile medical camps to treat diseases like fever, diarrhea, jaundice, and dengue.

💧 Heavy Showers Lash 3 Districts in Andhra: Heavy rains lashed Nellore, Chittoor and Kadapa districts on Friday under the influence of depression which crossed north Tamil Nadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Chennai in the early hours of the day. Low-lying areas in the three districts were inundated while rivulets, streams, tanks and reservoirs were overflowing. The massive downpour has paralysed normal life. Authorities have declared a holiday for all educational institutions in the affected districts. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the depression over southwest Bay of Bengal crossed the coast between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., triggering heavy rains.

💧 Flash Floods Warning: There has been heavy rainfall activity in the districts of Cudallore, Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai, Peralambalur and Kallakuruchi in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, because of which water levels in the rivers in the regions - South Pennar, Palar, Gedilam, Varahanadi, Velhar, including Gomukhi and Manimuktha, - are likely to rise significantly creating flood type situation and inundation till November 20, the CWC said. “Reservoirs such as Sathanur dam and Veedur dam are likely to get significant inflows. Releases, if any, may be done as per standard operation procedure after alerting the downstream stakeholders," the CWC advisory from its Hydrology Division in Chennai said.

💧 Ongoing Heavy Rainfall in Tamil Nadu Rivers: Similarly, due to ongoing heavy rainfall activity in basins of Kosasthalai, Araniyar, Adayar, smaller rivers in Thiruvallur, Vellore, Ranipet, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu districts, water levels in rivers are likely to rise significantly creating flood type situation and inundation from Thursday till November 20. “Reservoirs in these basins in Pichatoor dam (Araniyar river in Andhra Pradesh), Poondi reservoir, Chembarambakkam reservoir and other dams are likely to get significant inflow, strict vigil may be kept and releases may be made carefully keeping in view the downstream level conditions," the CWC said. Authorities concerned may monitor the situation with caution and are advised to be in high alert and also alert the downstream areas for increase in river levels, the advisory said. Besides, the IMD has issued a Persistent Flash Flood Threat (PFFT) applicable till Thursday evening with moderate to high threat likely to occur over few watersheds and neighborhood of Kadapa, Chittoor districts of Rayalaseema, Nellore, Prakasham districts of coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Kanchipuram, Villupuram and Puducherry, Ariyalur, Perumbulur, Tiruchirapally, Salem, Dharmapuri, Karaikal, Krishnagiri and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal met subdivisions by Thursday evening.

💧 Bengaluru Schools to Remain Shut on Friday: While Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner J Manjunath declared a one-day holiday (Friday) for all schools in Bengaluru, the Karnataka State Education Department, citing heavy and continuous rains across Karnataka, directed district administrations on Thursday to decide whether to declare a holiday for schools and colleges, the Deccan Herald reported. Dr Vishal, Commissioner, Department of Public Instructions, directed the officials in a circular to all Deputy Commissioners to decide on declaring a holiday while keeping the local conditions in mind.

💧 Chennai Schools to Remain Shut, as Well: Dr. J Vijaya Rani, the district collector of Chennai, declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Friday due to a depression over the Bay of Bengal and the forecast of heavy rain. Due to the rain, the city’s schools and colleges had remained closed on Thursday.

With inputs from IANS.

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