200 mm rain likely to lash Chennai, neighbourhood; weather dept issues orange alert for TN districts

CHENNAI: Several districts in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai and its neighbourhood that form part of the Chennai Metropolitan Area, are in for a pounding, as the weathermen have issued an orange alert warning that these districts are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming few days till October 17.

An orange alert is issued when there is a likelihood 115 to 204 mm rain, which, experts say, is so intense that it would overwhelm urban infrastructure in almost all cities in the country.

Also Read: Heavy rains lash parts of TN; more in the offing, say weathermen

The alert was issued after the formation of a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal. This comes just ahead of the northeast monsoon, the primary rainy season for Tamil Nadu, and is thus likely to compound the issues that the people would face.

Currently, a low-pressure system over the Arabian Sea is strengthening into a cyclonic storm, while another low-pressure area is likely to form south of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal.

According to weather forecasts, widespread rain is expected across Tamil Nadu from Sunday, October 13, to October 18.

These rains are expected to begin from Sunday evening itself across coastal and interior districts, with heavy to very heavy rainfall predicted on Monday in the Delta and northern districts, prompting the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, to issue a yellow alert.

For the unversed, a yellow alert implies chances of 64.5 mm to 115 mm rain.

From October 16 to 18, northern coastal districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Cuddalore, may experience very heavy rain. The weather department has already issued an orange alert warning that up to 204 mm rainfall is likely during this period.

On Sunday, heavy rain is expected across 10 districts: Tirupur, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Dindigul, Theni, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Pudukottai, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram. Some areas may see more than 11 cm of rain.

In light of the warnings, the Tamil Nadu government has put disaster management teams on high alert. Monitoring systems are in place to track flood and power outage risks in affected areas, said officials. In Chennai, 10,000 volunteers have been kept ready to assist in relief operations, while 65,000 volunteers across Tamil Nadu are ready to respond.