With the cyclonic circulation moving over the Comorin area and the adjoining Sri Lankan coast, steady spells of heavy rain are expected to continue in the State, particularly over the coastal belt and the adjoining districts, during the weekend.
The Meteorological Department has upgraded the alert to red for districts along the Tamil Nadu coast for Saturday.
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Thuraiyur Big Tank overflows, inundates residential areas
The Thuraiyur Big Tank was filled to the brim and began overflowing on Friday, causing inundation in nearby residential areas of the tank.
The sprawling tank spread over 284 acres is fed by inlet canals from Kolli Hills overflowed for the first time in 16 years. When the water overflows from the tank, it goes into Chinna Eri near Thuraiyur bus stand through supply channels. However, the force of the water was such that the size of the supply channel was not sufficient and it flowed into the residential areas on either side. Water was around five feet high early on Friday morning but slowly receded to about knee-depth.
Chennai Corporation receives 1,482 complaints on 1913 helpline
With the city receiving around 100 mm of rainfall between 6 am on Friday and Saturday noon, Greater Chennai Corporation has received 1482 complaints from residents on Saturday about civic issues caused by rainfall. Inflow from Andhra Pradesh has also been increasing, leading to flooding of northern parts of the city.
Of the 1482 complaints received on helpline, 1433 have been relating to water stagnation. As many as 820 pumps have been used to bale out water in residential areas.
All the 11 trees that were uprooted have been removed, restoring traffic. Six of the 91 relief centres have been occupied by 653 residents.
More than 16000 residents participated in 557 medical camps in the vicinity of flood affected areas. - Aloysius Xavier Lopez
Varadharajapuram residents rescued using boats
Weather forecast for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry the next five days
According to officials, while the intensity of the rains is expected to be up to very heavy in most of the districts, legends have been changed to indicate the impact of rainfall, be it inundation, damages or filling up of water bodies, and help government agencies be alert and take necessary action.
Flooded streets of Avadi
Thunderstorm nowcast for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
Thunderstorm with light to moderate rain is likely to occur over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Salem, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur districts in Puducherry within the next three hours. - Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority
The Strahans Road and Angalamman Koil street junction in Pattalam is inundated with storm water due to continuous rain in the wee hours of Saturday
Traffic diverted in multiple areas in Chennai
With Chennai getting heavy rains on Friday night, the City Traffic Police have announced traffic diversions in various places even as the Rangarajapuram subway remains closed for two-wheelers for the second day on Saturday.
The traffic police have also blocked two more subways in Tambaram and Ganesapuram.
In a press release, the Traffic Police have announced traffic diversions in a few places in K.K. Nagar, Ashok Nagar, T. Nagar and Valasaravakkam. As water logging is still persistent near the K.K. Nagar Government Hospital on the Anna Main Road in K.K. Nagar, vehicles are allowed only one-way to facilitate draining of the stagnant water. Vehicles on Anna Main Road intending to proceed towards Ashok Pillar are allowed whereas vehicles coming from Ekkatuthangal on the Jawaharlal Nehru Road are blocked from entering the Anna Main road and are re-routed via Ashok Pillar junction.
Vehicles intending to proceed through Mega Mart Road in Valasaravakkam have been diverted through Kesavardhini Road to reach Arcot Salai due to water logging.
Similarly, vehicles at the Vani Mahal junction in T. Nagar are diverted towards Habibullah Road and Raghavaiah Road.
Torrential rains continue over north coastal belt of the State
Torrential rains continued to pummel many parts of the State and it was the turn of north coastal districts to be pounded by downpour on the night of November 26.
With many areas in Kancheepuram district getting severe rains of above 10 cm mark on the morning of November 27, the water release from Chembarambakkam reservoir, one of the major drinking water sources of the city, has again been stepped up to 3,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) at 8 a.m.
Intense rains lashed several parts of the coastal belt around Chennai. Avadi was one of the localities that bore the brunt as it received a downpour of 20 cm till 6 a.m. on November 27. Many other rain gauges recorded heavy to very heavy rainfall that surpassed 10 cm. Cholavaram (15 cm); Kundrathur and Cheyyur (13 cm); Ponneri, Chembarambakkam and Kancheepuram (12 cm each ); Red Hills (11 cm) were some of them.
Alert upgraded to red in coastal districts
The slow-moving system may trigger severe rain in many districts till Sunday. The Meteorological Department has forecast scattered heavy rain in eight districts, including Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Chennai and its neighbouring districts for Saturday.
On Sunday too, intense rain is likely in Chennai and its neighbourhood and Villupuram. The delta districts and other places, including Madurai, Karaikal, Ariyalur and Tiruchi, may experience heavy rain in some areas.
Mr. Balachandran said the weather system, which now lies close to the coast, is pushing in new rainbands. It is moving westwards and if it continues to be slow, the State may continue to receive consistent rain on Sunday.
On the fresh low-pressure area brewing over the south Andaman sea and further gaining strength, he said the system is still far away from Tamil Nadu and its movement is being monitored.
151 streets inundated as Chennai receives 47 mm of rainfall
A total of 151 streets in 63 residential areas were inundated on Friday as the city received over 47 mm of rainfall from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The flooding reduced significantly on a number of streets in areas such as T. Nagar, owing to the completion of work on a new network of underground pipes.
Engineers said the huge underground pipes would carry excess floodwater through many roads of T. Nagar, diverting it through multiple routes, towards the Mambalam canal, which drains into the Adyar after passing through 5.7 km of congested areas. As many as 638 residents were provided accommodation and food in flood shelters at five localities of the city. A total of 91 shelters were opened for residents in low-lying areas near major waterways such as Kosasthalaiyar, Adyar, Cooum and Buckingham Canal. Release of water from the Poondi reservoir has been the highest among the waterbodies in and around the city, with a discharge of 4,248 cusecs on Friday.
Holiday declared for educational institutions in the State
Holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in Mayiladuthurai, Ranipet, Salem, Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts today due to rain.