Published Nov 29, 2023 | 9:37 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 29, 2023 | 10:14 PM
A water-logged street at Perumbakkam, South Chennai. (Supplied)
Chennai resembled a network of canals on Wednesday, 29 November, after heavy rains lashed the city in what can be called the best spell of the northeast monsoon so far. Additionally, heavy-to-very-heavy rains are expected in Chennai for the next 2-3 days.
A holiday has been declared for schools in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, and Kancheepuram on Thursday.
Most parts of the city received 6 to 7 cm of rainfall in a short span of two hours. As water tables are already high with a good year of rainfall, water logging was invariable, with pathways taking time for water to drain. In Chennai, Kolathur received 145 mm of rain on Wednesday between 1.30 pm to 8.30 pm, whereas Ambattur received 138 mm rainfall and Kodambakkam received 113 mm.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) issued an orange alert for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Viluppuram districts on Wednesday, with very heavy rainfall expected till Thursday morning.
“As the low pressure area continues to develop in South Bay, widespread rains are ahead for coastal Tamil Nadu over the next couple of days. On and off spells of rain are likely during the day for places like Chennai with increasing intensity during the evening to early morning hours,” posted weather blogger K Srikanth on X.
#COMK #Weather Update 29th Nov.'23 #NEM2023 #ChennaiRains
While the LPA continues to develop in South Bay widespread rains ahead for Coastal #TamilNadu over the next couple of days. On and off spells of rains likely during the day for places like #Chennai with increasing… pic.twitter.com/YhFqYqXA18— Chennai Rains (COMK) (@ChennaiRains) November 29, 2023
On Wednesday, reservoirs of Chennai — Poondi, Cholavaram, Puzhal, Kannankottai Thervoy Kandigai, Chembarambakkam, and Veeranam — recorded a total storage capacity of 10,315 mcft. Last year, on the same day, the lakes were at the capacity of 8,983 mcft.
The State Water Resources Department (WRD) has decided to release surplus water to the tune of 1,000 cubic feet of water per second (cusecs) from Wednesday.
