A low-pressure area is taking shape over the south Bay of Bengal is likely to usher in the northeast monsoon on October 8, said S. Balachandran, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, IMD, Chennai. He said the southwest monsoon may retreat in two or three days and that conditions are favourable for the northeast monsoon to set in over Tamil Nadu.
Normally, the monsoon sets in around October 20. However, the time of its onset and performance do not have any correlation.
Places like Chennai may experience light to moderate rainfall for the next three days, he added. The prevailing weather systems over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea will ensure moderate rainfall over many parts of the State, one or two places may experience heavy to very heavy rainfall during the next few days, according to IMD officials.
As the IMD has already issued weather warning about the cyclonic storm brewing in the Southeast Arabian Sea and likely to bring very heavy rainfall on Sunday, district administration in the Western Ghats region and south Tamil Nadu are gearing up to meet emergencies, if any, due to heavy rainfall during the next few days.
The district administrations of Theni, Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli and Virudhunagar have swung into action following the red alert issued by IMD for October 7.
The Collectors of the respective districts chaired a meeting on Friday to review the official machinery's preparedness to tackle these emergencies. Senior officials have been put on high alert and relief camps kept ready in areas vulnerable to flooding. Control rooms have been set up to respond to distress calls. Trained personnel are ready for rescue operations.
The Upper Bhavani and Avalanche dams are around 90% full due to the last bout of rain, while the other eight major dams in the Nilgiris have touched 75-80 % of their storage capacity. As the discharge from the Bhavani Sagar Dam could be stepped up if there is increase in the inflow, people living in the low level areas along the Bhavani River were alerted for flooding.
Officials have also been posted to monitor the inflow at three other dams — Gunderi Pallam, Perum Pallam and Varattu Pallam in the Erode district.
The moderate showers in Hogenakkal had no impact on coracle operations that continued to service tourists. Special instructions have been given to the core departments to be on high alert round-the-clock as 10 of the 11 dams of the Tirunelveli district are along the Western Ghats, where the IMD has predicted heavy downpour.
Overnight rain forced salt manufacturers in Thoothukudi district to stop production in the district for the next three months as salt pans were inundated. Fishing boats are returning to shore following the warning. and the Indian Coast Guard has been alerted to spot two boats that are involved in stray fishing.
Theni Collector M. Pallavi Baldev said alternate routes have been identified for rescue and relief operations in case of landslips along mountainous routes. The stretches around Kumuli and Uppukottai had been identified as vulnerable.
The forest areas in Srivilliputtur and Rajapalayam taluks of the Virudhunagar district have been made out of bounds for devotees and pilgrims. Virudhunagar Collector A. Sivagnanam said officials had been instructed not to allow tourists and devotees to climb up the Sathuragiri hills, even for Mahalya Amavasai puja on Monday, and the Ayyanar hills where people were often stranded on rainy days.
