Rain continues to batter Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Rain continued to lash Chennai and neighbouring districts of Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur besides other regions of Tamil Nadu, even as the Met department forecast more rainfall due to a low-pressure area persisting in the Bay of Bengal.

Commuters had a harrowing time due to delayed services of buses and trains and severe traffic snarls. Mild rainfall was recorded in some areas in the state, moderate in others and heavy in some pockets.

Schools and colleges, closed since October 31, were shut today as well and several university exams were postponed. The state-level National Talent Search Exam scheduled for today was deferred to November 18.

Civic authorities, including corporation officials, district collectors (Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur) coordinated relief work.

The power supply was suspended in inundated areas such as parts of MKB Nagar in North Chennai, pockets of Madipakkam in South Chennai and Karapakkam off Porur in Western Chennai to ensure safety.

Netizens posted updates about traffic diversions and inundated areas on social media and volunteers distributed food packets and water in affected areas of Nanmangalam and Pallikaranai.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Friday visited many waterlogged parts of the city and its suburbs. He said that his government was working on a “war-footing”. He was accompanied by his deputy O Panneerslevam and senior officials.

Meanwhile, a Met bulletin said the low-pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal, adjoining Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu coast and the associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 3.1 km above mean sea level continued to persist.

With the northeast monsoon active in the state and neighbouring Puducherry, Chennai city (Nungambakkam) recorded 65.8 mm of rainfall while suburban Meenambakkam registered 62 mm rains in 24 hours ending 8.30 am today.

The coastal district of Nagapattinam in the Cauvery delta zone recorded 2 cm rain and Karaikal in Puducherry one cm rain from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm yesterday. Comprehensive updates on rainfall for other regions till this morning are awaited.

The Met department said rain or thundershowers were likely to occur at many places over coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and at a few places over interior Tamil Nadu. Heavy rain at isolated places was very likely over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, it said.

A release from the Railways said showers caused “circuit based signalling to fail” due to waterlogging in Chennai Division, “affecting punctuality” between Kodambakkam- St Thomas Mount stations on Friday.This was also the case at the northern Tondiarpet and Korukkupet route. However, the services have been restored, the release said.

There were also some power tripping issues on railway routes, including the northern suburban Chennai Beach-Central- Tiruvallur. Power was immediately restored by extending supply from adjacent substations within a few minutes. A rail fracture was detected on the track between St Thomas Mount and Pallavaram stations on Saturday morning and it was attended and set right soon after, they said.

“Except for some minor delays, train services including Chennai suburban services are being maintained normally and monitored continuously by railway officials,” they said.