Tamil Nadu rains: Breather for Chennai as delta braces for battering

CHENNAI: While Chennai may get a reprieve from the northeast monsoon in the next two days, the action is likely to shift to Tamil Nadu’s delta, with the Met Office issuing an ‘orange’ warning for eight districts. The delta is already in the grip of an active spell of the NEM, with a few stations receiving rainfall in excess of 15 cm over 24 hours. 

S Balachandran, deputy director general of meteorology at Regional Meteorological Centre, said the cyclonic circulation over TN will continue to bring heavy rains till November 7. In the 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Thursday, Sirkali station in Mayiladuthurai recorded extremely heavy rainfall of 22 cm, the highest in TN, while seven stations registered very heavy rainfall in the range of 11-20 cm.

Friday is likely to see heavy to very heavy rain in parts of the Mayiladuthurai, Nagai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga and Ramnad districts of TN and the Karaikal area. Heavy rain is likely over Cuddalore, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchy, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts. 

Chennai was dry till Thursday noon before rain bands brought moderate showers after 2 pm with heavy rains expected overnight. Educational institutions in the city will be closed on Friday.