Heavy rains lash Chennai, three dead
Heavy rains in Chennai led to three human deaths due to electrocution, and four subways were shut down on Thursday. Nearly 100 streets in Chennai city were waterlogged, and the officials and employees of the Greater Chennai Corporation are working to clear the city’s waterlogging.
KKSSR Ramachandran, Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, told the media that 106 streets in the city are waterlogged, and once the rain stops, the waterlogging would be cleared.
The Minister said the tanks and reservoirs around Chennai are being monitored for inflow, and if necessary, they would be opened for safety.
Ramachandran added that rains received were high in Nandanam, Vadapalani and M.R.C. Nagar in Chennai.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said Nungambakkam received 12cm of rain and Nandanam 8cm of rainfall on December 30.
While speaking to media, S. Balachandran, Deputy Director-General, IMD, said, “The interaction of easterly winds at lower levels and westerly winds at upper level has brought rain to the city. The rains in the city will continue till January 3.”
IANS had reported earlier that there would be rains and winds in several coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.
N. Puviarasan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, while speaking to media, said, “The unexpected fast movement of the easterly trough over Chennai coast has led to intense rainfall in the city on Thursday. Prediction of such heavy rains is impossible.”
Government offices, schools, colleges closed in Chennai
In view of the heavy rains, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has declared a holiday on Friday for all government offices except those engaged in essential services, schools, and colleges in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpatu districts.
Stalin visited the rainwater inundated areas of the city and met the Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner Gagan Singh Bedi and other officials at the commissioner office in the Rippon building on Thursday night to evaluate the situation.
Traffic movement was slow due to the subways being shut and heavy waterlogging in some regions of Chennai.
Revenue and Disaster management minister, KKSSR Ramachandran, while speaking to IANS, said, “Three people have lost their lives in Chennai, and surrounding areas due to electrocution and disaster and relief work is in full swing. We have already shut four subways due to waterlogging, and two companies of NDRF are already in the city.”
He also said that the Chief Minister had declared a holiday on Friday in Chennai and adjoining districts with regard to the heavy rain forecast.
Heavy rains have led to the increase in the storage level of Chembarambakkam lake, with the level rising to 98% of the total capacity. The inflow, according to officials, is 2900 cusecs, while the outflow from the lake is 1000 cusecs.
Several parts of Chennai and Kancheepuram districts continue to suffer due to waterlogging, and the weather department has issued an alert of heavy rainfall in the districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur on Friday.
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The above article has been published from a wire agency with minimal modifications to the headline and text.
Source: https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news/news/2021-12-31-stalin-declares-holiday-for-government-offices-on-friday-in-chennai
