Chennai rains: City received 2,000% more rainfall than normal on October 15

CHENNAI: Here is a data that could perhaps explain the challenge that officials and volunteers faced on the ground, and the struggle that the public had to go through: Chennai received 2,007 per cent rainfall over and above what was expected on October 15.

According to the data from the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, the city was expected to receive merely 6.8 mm. This figure is arrived at using historical data dating back to decades. But it was nothing normal on the ground, with Chennai receiving 143.3 mm rainfall. That is a departure of 2,007 per cent or more than 20 times the normal.

The torrential rain during the day also added to the total rainfall received so far this month, from October 1 to 10, taking it to 281.1 mm. The normal was 82.9 mm and the departure was 239 per cent.

Also Read: Chennai rains: How bad was October 15 downpour? Very, very bad

Closely following was Chennai’s neighbour Tiruvallur district, where the departure was 1,907 per cent (normal – 5.8 mm, actual – 116.4 mm).

Also Read: Tamil Nadu Rains: Cholavaram records nearly 303 mm rains

Among other adjacent districts, Chengalpattu reported 1,073 per cent departure (normal – 5.8 mm, actual – 68.1 mm), while it was 740 per cent more in Kancheepuram (normal – 5.1 mm, actual – 42.9 mm).