Lagatar24 Desk
Chennai, Dec 31: The IMD had predicted rainfall and thunderstorms to intensify between Friday and Saturday, following which the Tamil Nadu government issued a red alert in four districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, and Chinglepet.
Heavy rain inundated roads and subways in the capital city. Three people died in rain-related electrocutions in Tamil Nadu on Thursday, state minister for revenue and disaster management K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran informed.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin had visited the flood control room in the Ripon Building of Greater Chennai Corporation on Thursday night to review the rain, relief, and rescue works in various parts of the city.
State revenue and disaster management minister said three people including two women and a boy, died of electrocution in Chennai after the intense spell of rain, which may be one of the heaviest witnessed in recent years.
“A red alert has been issued for four districts of Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, and Chinglepet in view of heavy rainfall. Three people have died due to electrocution today,” Ramachandran said.
Tamil Nadu: Waterlogging in several parts of Chennai in aftermath of heavy rains; earlier visuals from Ashok Nagar pic.twitter.com/gBwn9trFOH
— ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2021
Motorists struggled to maneuver their vehicles as roads and subways were flooded, causing traffic congestion in the city and suburbs.
According to police, three subways were closed due to flooding, and traffic moved at a snail’s pace in at least 14 arterial city thoroughfares. Greater Chennai Corporation reported that over 145 pumps were used to de-clog inundated areas.
Metro officials extended train service by an hour until 12 a.m. to assist passengers in safely reaching their destinations. Rain began to fall in most areas of the city and suburbs in the afternoon, and it was heavy to very heavy in some places. The highest rainfall of 17.65cm was recorded in MRC Nagar in Chennai, according to the India Meteorological Department.
According to the IMD, the heights in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam were 14.65cm and 10cm, respectively. Showers ranged from 1cm (Madhavaram) to 10cm in other areas, including those in neighboring Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts (Nandanam). On Thursday, rainfall data was collected between 8.30 a.m. and 6.15 p.m.
The weather department predicts that isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall activity will continue over north coastal Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh for the next three days before decreasing.
