Chennai weather: Waterlogging in city after heavy rains; water may be released from Chembarambakkam Reservoir – Times Now

Chennai News

Heavy rains lash Chennai&  | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspANI

Chennai: Chennai was on Tuesday lashed by heavy rains, with severe waterlogging reported from several parts of the Tamil Nadu capital. Heavy rainfall was also reported from the suburbs of Chennai since early Tuesday.

As a result of the heavy rainfall, the city authorities are preparing to release surplus water from the Chembarambakkam Reservoir. The authorities have already issued an alert to people who live on the banks of Adyar river.

Waterlogging caused by heavy rains disrupted traffic movement in several parts of the city, leading to delays and jams on inundated roads.

Heavy rains have returned to Chennai after several weeks. As per the weather department, heavy rain (7 cm to 11 cm) alert has been issued for isolated places over Chennai district. Further, a similar warning is in place for Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Tiruvannamalai districts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

If incessant rains continue, the authorities in Chennai are planning to release some 500 cusecs of surplus water from Chembarambakkam Reservoir into Adyar river. The reservoir supplies a major portion of water to the metropolis.

“In the first phase, 500 cusecs of surplus water will be released from Chembarambakkam Reservoir,” an official release here stated.

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People living near the banks of River Adyar and other channels into which surplus water from the reservoir is released have been asked not to get close to the water.

On November 25 last year, the authorities had opened the flood gates of the reservoir for the first time in last five years after the city and its suburbs received heavy rains. Rains had lashed the state capital as Nivar cyclone approached the state’s coast.

It may be recalled that the reservoir’s flood gates were opened with a delay in 2015 following very heavy rains and this was attributed as one of the reasons which Chennai witnessed devastating floods that year.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/chennai/article/chennai-rain-news-chembarambakkam-reservoir-water-release-alert/703170