Heavy rains have been pounding Tamil Nadu due to the formation of a depression in the Bay of Bengal. So far, at least 14 people have died in Tamil Nadu due to the incessant rains.
The red alert to Chennai, indicating extremely heavy rainfall, has been withdrawn after the depression over Bay of Bengal crossed the city coast on Thursday evening. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the depression crossed north Tamil Nadu coast, close to Chennai, between 5.30 pm and 6.30 pm. It is very likely to move west northwestwards and weaken into a well-marked low pressure by Friday morning.
Heavy rains have been pounding Tamil Nadu due to the formation of a depression in the Bay of Bengal. So far, at least 14 people have died in Tamil Nadu due to the incessant rains. Due to severe rains and heavy crosswinds in Chennai, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) decided to suspend the arrivals at Chennai Airport from 1:15 pm to 6 pm. The service has been resumed now.
Several roads in Chennai were inundated on Thursday. The traffic police closed at least seven roads and 11 subways, and created diversions across the city for commuters. Due to waterlogging on rail tracks, some suburban trains were suspended while others were delayed. The Airport Authority of India said flights operations were normal, and special arrangements were being made at airports due to the adverse weather conditions.
14 dead, govt sets up damage assessment panel
State minister KSSR Ramachandran said 130.64 mm of rainfall has been recorded in Chengalpet, the highest among all 38 districts.
He said 10 teams of National Disaster Response Force teams have been dispatched, with three each to Chengalpet and Chennai Corporation and one each to Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Madurai, Tiruvallur. Two teams from Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force have been deployed in Thanjavur and Cuddalore.
According to the minister, at 162 relief centres in Chengalpet, Kancheepuram, Nagapattinam, Perambulur, Pudukkotai, Rainpet, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruvarur, Villupuram, Ariyalur, as many as 9,312 people have been accommodated. In Chennai, a total of 1,961 persons have been accommodated in 41 centres and 21,02,420 food packets have been distributed. Ramachandran said officials have been appointed for each of the 200 wards in the city to distribute food packets to the needy.
In Nagapattinam district, a total of 5,023 hectares are submerged in rainwater. The minister said efforts are being made to drain the water. In Chennai, of the 426 areas that were flooded, 53 of them have been drained out using high-power motors. As many as 13 subways in the city are flooded.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has formed a six-member ministerial panel headed by state cooperatives minister I Periyasamy, to assess crop damage in the delta region and submit a report to the government to expedite relief work.
Heavy rains over Tamil Nadu, Andhra likely to decrease from tomorrow: IMD
Heavy rains over Tamil Nadu and Andhra likely to decrease from tomorrow as the depression enters into land today and weakens subsequently. Today's rainfall activity will be more over Andhra Pradesh.
Depression begins crossing coast near TN coast: IMD
The depression over Bay of Bengal has started crossing coast near here, the Meteorological Department said here on Thursday. "The depression has started crossing coast. During the past six hours, it has moved with a speed of 16 kilometer per hour and the landfall process will continue for the next two hours," Deputy Director General of Meteorology, S Balachandran told reporters
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