Chennai rains: New Manali Town gets 230.1 mm rainfall in 14 hrs; 15 stations record over 150 mm
New Manali Town recorded the highest rainfall amount at 230.1 mm, exceeding 20 cm in a single day. However, Manali, which is in the same zone 2, only got 122.mm rain.
Chennaiites grapple through flooding and waterlogging in various parts (Hemanathan M)
CHENNAI: As incessant rains pounded Chennai and its suburbs on Tuesday (October 15), New Manali Town recorded the highest rainfall amount at 230.1 mm, exceeding 20 cm in a single day. However, Manali, which is in the same zone 2, only got 122.mm rain.
Four other stations in the city recorded more than 200 mm rainfall between 6 am and 8 pm, while 15 stations had more than 150 mm. By the time the data for the 24-hour period on Tuesday is collected and tabulated, many of them are likely to enter the red category (204 mm or more rainfall).
Kathivakkam (zone 1), Perambur and Kolathur (both in zone 6), and Ayappakam (zone 7) recorded 212.4 mm, 211.8 mm, 211.2 mm, and 210 mm, respectively. The rainfall at Anna Nagar West (zone 8) stayed a touch short at 192 mm.
The stations that received the least rainfall today are Perungudi at 98.2 mm and Madipakkam at 93.3 mm, as per data from the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai.
As the rainfall recorded was beyond the orange alert limits initially given, the alert was bumped up to red late afternoon, to upto 7 pm today.
With 156.5 mm of total rainfall, Puzhal weather station topped Tuesday's chart, followed by Vilivakkam at 145.5 mm. The Mahabalipuram station recorded 72.5 mm, which was the least.
YMCA Nandanam, Anna University, Hindustan University, Ennore, and Nungambakkam weather stations all received over 115 mm rainfall today, as the northeast monsoon set in with a vigour across the state. It was the monsoon in association with the very well marked low pressure area over central part of south Bay of Bengal that spurred the widespread rainfall activity, according to the RMC.
Meanwhile, the well-marked low pressure area is likely to intensify into a depression over southwest Bay of Bengal within a few hours. It is likely to move west-northwestwards and reach near north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts by October 17 early morning, intensifying into a depression, S Balachandran, Deputy Director General, RMC, Chennai, said.
However, tomorrow (October 16) is the D-day, with a red alert sounded for heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain at one or two places over Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts.
Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai,
Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, and Vellore districts, and Puducherry and Karaikal. Heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, and Pudukkottai districts.
The forecast for October 17 is heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur, and Krishnagiri districts with heavy rain likely at isolated places over Erode, Salem, Dharmapuri,
Tiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Chennai, and Chengalpattu district, the RMC said.
