Rain likely to lash Chennai & several dists of TN for next few hrs

CHENNAI: Chennai and its neighbouring districts continue to witness widespread rains on Sunday under the influence of depression over southwest Bay of Bengal and its 500 km of Chennai. The Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) issues a yellow alert for 14 districts predicting heavy rain for the next 48 hours.

Several areas Thiruvottriyur, Nungambakkam, Egmore, Tondiarpet, Ambattur, Velachery and Arumbakkam received moderate rain from Saturday night. Interior roads in the city and suburbs experienced water logging.

The depression over southwest Bay of Bengal moved southwestwards and lay centered on Sunday over the Southwest Bay of Bengal off Sri Lanka coast. It is about 110 km east-northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 150 km east-southeast of Jaffna (Sri Lanka), 330 km southeast of Nagappattinam and 500 km south-southeast of Chennai.

It is likely to move nearly southwestwards cross Sri Lanka coast around Trincomalee by Sunday noon. Later, move west-southwestwards and emerge into the Comorin Area and neighbourhood on December 26 morning.

Under its influence, enhanced rainfall activity is likely over coastal and south Tamil Nadu such as Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Cuddalore for the next few hours.

Light to moderate rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Ranipet, Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Thirupattur, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Trichy, Pudukottai, Sivagangai, Tenkasi and Tirunelveli.

According to RMC, the highest amount of rainfall recorded in Chennai collector office with 5 cm, followed by Tondiarpet 4 cm, Anna University, MGR Nagar, Perambur, Alandur, Taramani, Ayanavaram received 3 cm rainfall each.

The centre issued yellow warning for Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Virudhunagar, Theni, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, and Thoothukudi districts predicting heavy rain along with thunderstorm activity for the next 48 hours.