Chennai Braces For Northeast Monsoon, Heavy Rain Predicted

Chennai witnessed its first spell of Northeast Monsoon rain on Saturday night, recording an average rainfall of 15.78 cm. The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecast very heavy rainfall in Chennai and neighbouring areas on October 18.

The Tamil Nadu government has announced the contact numbers of zonal officials in Chennai for residents to report waterlogging complaints. As a precautionary measure, the state government has also established 220 relief camps and 110 community kitchens in Chennai.

Following rainfall of around 15 cm in less than 24 hours, several low-lying areas were inundated. However, officials said water was drained using motor pumps after the rain stopped.

Minister Aadhav Arjuna, Municipal Administration Department Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, and Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner  Sameeran took stock of the situation. Four State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and one National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team are on standby in Chennai.

"Of the 219 identified low-lying areas in Chennai, around 100 locations experienced waterlogging during the rain on October 17. By the morning of October 18, only seven locations remained inundated, following overnight efforts by civic workers," Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Sameeran said.

Officials said the Tamil Nadu government was prepared to handle worst-case scenarios and manage the Northeast Monsoon.

Meanwhile, the Regional Meteorological Centre said Chennai experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places, on the night of October 17.

The RMC also clarified that the rainfall resulted from organised, widespread convective activity associated with the cyclonic circulation, rather than an isolated, highly localised cloudburst event.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rainfall at isolated places in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on October 18 and 19.