Heavy overnight rains accompanied by thunder and lightning brought in some pleasant weather on Monday. It could continue for a day or two.
After a week of stifling heat, Chennai had its first taste of the southwest monsoon with several places recording more than four cm of rainfall till 8.30 a.m. on Monday. While Kancheepuram received 7 cm, Kelambakkam, Kolapakkam and Chembarambakkam recorded 6 cm . Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam registered 5 cm and 4 cm of rains respectively. Tambaram recorded 3.2 cm rainfall.
According to the Meteorological department, the sudden showers were due to a low pressure area formed over the Arabian Sea. The advancing monsoon current over the Bay of Bengal with a circulation embedded in it triggered rains over northern parts of Tamil Nadu.
Showers aggravated Monday morning traffic woes for residents with many schools reopening after the summer vacation. Areas in Royapettah, Mint and Kellys were covered under sheets of water. It was a tough day for Chennai Corporation staff members too as they removed 42 uprooted trees and 21 branches off the city roads.
Residents had a much-needed respite from soaring temperatures.
On Monday, Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam saw a maximum temperature of 30 degree Celsius, eight degrees less than Sunday.
The pedestrian subway at Tambaram Sanatorium railway station was inundated, forcing commuters to cross the track to reach the platforms.
Officials of the meteorological department said the city will experience a cool weather and rain or thundershowers for one or two days.
Y.E.A. Raj, former deputy director general of meteorology, said such persistent clouding is not common during June. However, such weather will not last for more than two days.
A 40-year-old man was electrocuted as he held on to an iron railing outside his house through which electric current was passing after a livewire snapped and fell on it.
Prakash Prabhudoss, a resident of Thiru-vi-ka Nagar 8th Street in Pulianthope, was a sanitary worker on contract with the Chennai Corporation.
The reservoirs that cater to the city’s drinking water supply too recorded some rainfall. But it did not add much inflow except in Chembarambakkam reservoir.
(Additional reporting by Petlee Peter and K. Manikandan)
