Well-marked depression forms, rains lashing Tamil Nadu

Intermittent and widespread rains lashed Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday and the Indian Meteorological Department said the low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal transformed into a well-marked low pressure area and it is likely to become depression.

Civic authorities said there was no water stagnation in Chennai metros due to preventive maintenance and the fallen trees were removed immediately. Water accumulation was, however, observed at several places, and the Greater Chennai Corporation said it was pumping water into storm drains.

The number of road users fell sharply in cities and suburbs with persistent rain and thunderstorms. Moderate to heavy and widespread rains lashed Chennai, Tiruvallur and other parts of the state.

Chennai Corporation has announced a helpline number 1913. A public holiday has been declared for schools and colleges and the government has asked people to check the TN Alert app for weather updates. Air and rail operations, including Metro Rail, have so far been unaffected.

Some people, who own cars in flood-prone Ram Nagar in Madipakkam, parked their vehicles on the nearby Velachery Bridge, a key part of bustling south Chennai, and some reportedly left their homes to go to hotels .

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inspected several localities including Narayanapuram lake near Velachery and officials said excess rain from the lake water was flowing into canals due to advanced desilting works .

He inspected the Integrated Command and Control Center of Chennai Corporation, functioning from its headquarters, Ripon Building, here to review the ongoing works to deal with the situation arising out of the rains.

The IMD said a well-marked low pressure area had formed over the south central part of the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday morning.

In a report on ‘X’, the department said it is likely to intensify into a depression and continue to move west-northwestwards towards northern Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and the southern coasts of Andhra Pradesh over the next two days.

Since Monday evening, Chennai and its suburbs have been experiencing intermittent rains.

Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday reviewed the preparations undertaken by the authorities to deal with the situation that may arise in view of the heavy rains forecast by the weather office.

The Chief Minister directed that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force be deployed in the likely affected areas in advance.