Heavy rain batters Chennai and coastal districts; two depressions forming over seas
In Chennai, Ennore received 11.9 cm, Nerkundram 10.9 cm, Maduravoyal 10.6 cm, and Medavakkam Junction 10.3 cm. Nungambakkam and Saligramam recorded 9.7 cm and 9.6 cm, respectively.
CHENNAI: Heavy rain lashed Chennai and several coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry over the past 24 hours, inundating roads and disrupting traffic. Nellikuppam in Cuddalore recorded the highest rainfall of 19.8 cm by 8.30 am on Wednesday, followed by Vanur in Villupuram with 17.6 cm.
In Chennai, Ennore received 11.9 cm, Nerkundram 10.9 cm, Maduravoyal 10.6 cm, and Medavakkam Junction 10.3 cm. Nungambakkam and Saligramam recorded 9.7 cm and 9.6 cm, respectively. The overnight downpour caused waterlogging in several neighbourhoods, and a tree was uprooted on Fifth Street, Trustpuram, Kodambakkam.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai said a depression has formed over the southeast Arabian Sea, while another is likely to form over the southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal off the North Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh coasts within the next 12 hours.
According to the RMC, the depression over the southeast Arabian Sea lay centred at 5.30 a.m. on Wednesday, about 630 km west-southwest of Aminidivi (Lakshadweep) and 1,020 km southwest of Panjim (Goa). It is likely to move slowly north-northwestwards in the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, a well-marked low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the north Sri Lanka coast has moved northwestwards and now lies off the Tamil Nadu coast. This system is expected to intensify into a depression and move across the north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh coasts thereafter.
Intermittent rain with isolated heavy spells is likely to continue over the north coastal districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Kanchipuram, till evening. Rainfall is expected to gradually ease over the delta districts such as Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, and Cuddalore.
Weather blogger Pradeep John noted that rain bands have shifted from the Cuddalore–Puducherry belt towards Chennai, leading to heavy showers in the city and its suburbs. He added that Tiruvallur district may see intense spells through the day, while southern districts like Kanyakumari could experience heavy rainfall due to the “pull effect” of the low-pressure system.
The RMC has said both weather systems are being closely monitored, and another low-pressure is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal around October 25.
