Overnight rains lashed Chennai, its neighbouring districts and other regions of Tamil Nadu and rainfall continued on Tuesday as well, leading to inundation in parts of the State capital and nearby areas.
The Chennai Corporation has launched a helpline number 1913 to enable city residents to report for any civic issues during the rains. Flood control room landline numbers for the Corporation in Ripon Buildings are 044-25619206, 044-25619207 and 044-25619208.
The Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai issued a “heavy to very heavy rain” warning at isolated places over Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur and Tiruvannamalai districts for the next 24 hours.
Addressing presspersons on Tuesday S. Balachandran, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, RMC, Chennai, said that isolated places in Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Karaikal, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchi, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Dharmapuri districts as well as Puducherry and Karaikal are likely to witness heavy rains during the same period.
Here are the latest updates:
Day-long showers brings respite from heat in Vellore, nearby districts
Police personnel getting ready to tackle the North East monsoon in Vellore on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: C. Venkatachalapathy
Day-long showers lashed many parts of Vellore town including the Bengaluru Highway (NH:48) and neighbouring big towns like Ambur, Vaniyambadi, Arani, Gudiyatham, Arcot, Walajah, Chengam, Cheyyar and Vandavasi on Tuesday.
Many major towns in Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur and Tiruvannamalai districts were witnessing severe heat for nearly a fortnight despite evening showers. However, Tuesday saw continuous drizzling in these districts including tribal hamlets in Jawadhu Hills. Low-lying areas like Sampath Nagar and Kansalpet in Vellore, which used to get inundated to knee-deep during monsoon, received mild showers on an entire day.
Schools and colleges in key towns like Cheyyar, Chetpet, Vandavasi and Vembakkam in Tiruvannamalai were declared holidays as these areas received good rains. “Water logging was the major problem during monsoon. The civic body should ensure key stretches in Vellore town are not inundated,” said K. Meenakshi, a resident.
Position of reservoirs and water drains should be observed: Dhinakaran
AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran. File | Photo Credit: G. Karthikeyan
The AMMK general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Tuesday demanded that the State Government and the Greater Chennai Corporation take up, on a war footing, the task of baling out of rainwater in over 150 places of Chennai.
In a series of tweets, he said the authorities should ensure that there was no occurrence of unfortunate incidents. To monitor relief works in Chennai and the Cauvery delta districts, hit by heavy rain spells, the government should constitute committees comprising Ministers and officers. Also, the position of reservoirs and water drains should be observed, Mr. Dhinakaran added.
Heavy to very heavy rain warning over 8 districts
Rain water logging on G.P. Road in Chennai on Friday. | Photo Credit: K.V. Srinivasan
The Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai on Tuesday issued a “heavy to very heavy rain” warning at isolated places over Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur and Tiruvannamalai districts for the next 24 hours.
Water stagnation has reduced in Chennai, says Minister K.N. Nehru
Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru and HR & CE Minister P.K. Sekar Babu reviewed the situation in Chennai on November 1, 2022 following heavy rains in the capital city. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The number of locations with water stagnation has reduced in various parts of Chennai because of the development of new stormwater drains, said Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru.
Speaking to media persons after inspecting stormwater drains on Tuesday, Mr. Nehru said more than 19,500 workers have been deployed to prevent water stagnation on the roads.
“Residents have reported that many roads did not have water stagnation after the construction of new stormwater drains. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin spoke with the residents where water stagnation has reduced...A control room has been set up in all 15 zones of the city to help residents in flood-prone areas. Teams of Corporation workers have been sent to all areas to reduce water stagnation,” he said.
Pointing to inundation in a few new locations that were not affected by water stagnation during the previous monsoon, Mr. Nehru said engineers would study the reason for the occurrence of waterlogging in these few new areas — Aloysius Xavier Lopez
Chennai’s Nungambakkam gets 3rd highest rainfall on Nov 1 in 72 years today
A view of Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai. File | Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY
The weather station at Nungambakkam in Chennai recorded the third-highest rainfall received on November 1 in the last 72 years, on Tuesday.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) at Chennai said it recorded 8.4 cm of rainfall while in 1990, the rainfall recorded on this day was 13 cm, and in 1964 it was 11 cm.
As per 1 p.m.’s forecast by RMC Chennai, moderate to heavy rains with thunderstorms and lightning are likely to occur at isolated places over Thiruvallur, Chennai, Kanchipuram and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil Nadu during the next three hours.
Thunderstorms and lightning with light to moderate rain are likely to occur at isolated places over The Nilgiris, Ranipet, Vellore, Thirupattur, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Villuppuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Ariyalur and Karur districts of Tami Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during next three hours — Deepa H. Ramakrishnan
45-year-old woman dies after wall collapses in Chennai
A 45-year-old woman was killed in Pulianthope on Tuesday morning, when a concrete slab collapsed on her, following heavy rains on Monday night.
Police sources said the victim has been identified as Shanthi, 45, wife of Kabali. The couple were both flower vendors, and lived at a rented house in Prakash Rao Colony, Pulianthope.
On Tuesday morning, Shanthi was drawing water from a borewell adjacent to her house portion, with a hand pump. Suddenly, a concrete slab above her head collapsed on her. She was caught under the debris and died on the spot. Sources said the concrete structure was weak already, and the rains could have led to its collapse. Police detained the house owner for questioning — R. Sivaraman
Flood control room at Chennai Corporation
A war room has been set up at the Chennai Corporation office for monitoring rain-related incidents in the wake of the Indian Meteorological Department’s red alert about heavy rainfall in Chennai and parts of Tamil Nadu on November 1, 2022 | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
The Chennai Corporation has shifted the flood control room to the integrated command and control centre to facilitate coordination among various line agencies. More than 400 camera fittings in various locations will send real-time data to the integrated command and control centre for flood mitigation in the city — Aloysius Xavier Lopez
CM Stalin chairs review meeting
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin chairs a virtual meeting in his camp office in Chennai on November 1, 2022. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin chaired a virtual meeting to review the steps being undertaken, in view of the Northeast monsoon in various parts of the State, in which he instructed officials to ensure that vulnerable areas are continuously monitored by multi-departmental zonal committees.
The CM advised officials to ensure that hospitals, educational institutions and mobile phone service providers be kept ready, and also instructed them to depute rescue and relief teams to affected areas without any delay, an official release said. He advised officials to shift people from low-lying areas to relief centres well in advance — Dennis S. Jesudasan
19 trees uprooted, stagnation at 40 places
The Chennai Corporation on Tuesday, received several complaints about water stagnation in 40 locations in the 15 zones of the city. As many as 25 locations have been cleared on Tuesday.
The Corporation has also installed motor pumps at 124 low-lying areas to prevent water stagnation. As many as 19 trees have been uprooted
Several areas where storm water drains were completed did not have waterlogging .Many arterial stretches in flood-prone areas such as T. Nagar, Adyar and Kodambakkam did not have water stagnation on Tuesday.
The northern parts of Chennai received higher amount of rainfall on Tuesday, officials said. More than 22,000 workers have been deployed to remove debris clogging the silt catch pit along storm water drains.— Aloysius Xavier Lopez
52-year-old autorickshaw driver electrocuted in Vyasapadi
Devendran, 52, who died of electrocution in Vyasarpadi on the night of October 31, 2022. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A 52-year-old autorickshaw driver was electrocuted to death in Vyasarpadi on October 31 night, after he touched the pole of a pandal erected in front of a house, where rainwater had stagnated.
The deceased has been identified as Devendran, of 25th street, BV Colony, Vyasarpadi. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
According to sources, he was walking towards his house after parking his autorickshaw in Pulianthope and he inadvertently touched the pole of the pandal erected in front of a house, for a funeral, due to which he was electrocuted.
MKB Nagar police registered a case and the body was sent to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem — R. Sivaraman
Forecast
The Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai in its now forecast issued every three hours at 9.55 a.m. has predicted moderate rain with thunderstorm and lighting over isolated places in Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai districts — Deepa H. Ramakrishnan
With no shelters, office-goers wait at the Tidel Park bus stop in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 | Photo Credit: M. Karunakaran
Tough time for office-goers
Many office-goers had a tough time to reach their destination either by their two-wheelers or cars as rain water flooded the roads of the city that has seen nearly continuous rainfall since late Monday evening.
The city witnessed flooding on arterial roads such as General Patterson Road, Walltax Road, Eldams Road, Anna Salai and other places as well. Pedestrians also had difficulties in commuting due to inundation — R. Sivaraman
Electricity supply unaffected so far
According to TANGEDCO officials, there were no reports of disruption in electricity supply in the city.
The services has also not been disrupted in major parts of the city despite heavy rains, officials said. TANGEDCO officials have been to directed to report to duty at their section offices
Separately, department officials have been creating awareness about the precautionary measures to be taken by residents, through social media to residents welfare associations, to avoid electrocution — R. Srikanth
1,500 MTC buses operated in Chennai
Despite the heavy rains lashing the capital city, public transport comprising buses, suburban and Metro trains, are, as of now, being operated normally, without any disruptions. — R. Srikanth
Metro services normal
Representational image. File | Photo Credit: K. PICHUMANI
Chennai Metro Rail services have been operated as per the schedule and have not been affected by the rains so far. According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited, the service began as usual at 5 a.m. and till 10.30 a.m. It has been operated without any issue — Sunitha Sekar
Corporation authorities inspect areas
Greater Chennai Corporation authorities inspected several areas and said there was no rain water stagnation in localities including KK Nagar-Rajamannar Salai, and subways like Ganesapuram in view of preparatory measures and storm water drain work. Flood monitoring cameras have been installed by authorities in localities vulnerable to flooding.
Inundation in parts of Chennai
Overnight rains lashed Chennai, its neighbouring districts leading to inundation in parts of the State capital and nearby areas.
Several stretches in and around the arterial Anna Salai, the congested localities of north Chennai including parts of Pulianthope and neighbourhoods tucked away in southern parts of the city and suburbs witnessed waterlogging, resulting in traffic congestion and slow movement of vehicles.
Holiday in four taluks of Tiruvannamalai
The District Collector has declared holiday for schools and colleges in Cheyyar, Vandavasi, Chetpet and Vembakkam taluks of Tiruvannamalai district due to rain — D. Madhavan
Holiday declared in Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur districts
Holiday declared for schools and colleges in Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts in view of rain. Holiday for schools in Thanjavur. Authorities declare holiday for schools in Mayiladuthurai district as well due to heavy rain — S. Ganesan
MeT forecasts heavy rains across T.N.
The Met department has forecast heavy to very heavy rains over a few places in Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Salem districts.
Similarly, a few places in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukkottai, Namakkal and Tiruchi districts of Tamil Nadu. Puducherry and Karaikal too are likely to witness heavy rains.
(With inputs from PTI)
