Rains in Chennai, holiday declared for schools and colleges in four TN districts

Various parts of Tamil Nadu have been experiencing moderate to heavy rains over the past few days. Heavy rainfall lashed Chennai and its surrounding areas on September 1, Thursday, leaving several low-lying areas in the state capital inundated. The rainfall, which commenced at 12 p.m., is continuing unabated and has thrown normal life out of gear. The city has been experiencing heavy rain with intervals. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that Chennai will experience heavy to very heavy rain with thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday, September 2 and 3. Chennai and its neighbouring districts of Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu have witnessed heavy rains since the morning.

IMD has also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in many parts of Tamil Nadu for the next four to five days. It has also predicted heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu and parts of Puducherry including Mahe. The district administrations of Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Myladuthurai and Thanjavur have declared holidays for all educational institutions. The Greater Chennai Police and the State Disaster Response Force have been asked to be on standby.

Several districts in Tamil Nadu are also expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next two days. Heavy to very heavy rains are predicted in districts of Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Theni, Erode, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, and Tiruchirapalli on Thursday and Friday. The weather department also predicted squally weather with wind speed reaching 40-50 km per hour over Camorin area, Gulf of Mannar, and the adjoining Tamil Nadu coast. It has also warned fishermen to not venture into the seas during this period.

Tamil Nadu has experienced 93% more rain than usual and 18 districts in the state received 100% more rainfall than usual in the month of August, the head of IMD’ south region Balachandar said.

(With IANS inputs)