A strengthening low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal has triggered an Orange Alert for Chennai and coastal Tamil Nadu. IMD says today rain in Chennai may be heavy with thunderstorms, and similar conditions are expected in Puducherry and nearby districts. Residents have been advised to follow rain alerts.
File image (ANI Photo)
A low-pressure area sitting over the southwest Bay of Bengal, close to the Sri Lankan coast, has begun to strengthen, setting off another spell of heavy rain for Tamil Nadu. With the system drifting slowly towards the state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Chennai has issued an Orange Alert for seven districts on Monday.
The weather disturbance formed on Sunday morning and has barely moved since.
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Till Monday morning, Thirparappu in Kanyakumari recorded the state’s highest rainfall at 6 cm. Sembanarkoil in Mayiladuthurai received 4 cm, while Parangipettai in Cuddalore saw 3 cm.
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With the system still active, many coastal and interior districts may see light to moderate rain with thunderstorms through the day.
A similar pattern, along with thunder and lightning, is expected on Tuesday as well, especially in the south and north.
The alert has been issued for Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, and the Karaikal region, where extremely heavy rainfall is possible today. The Union Territory of Puducherry is also expected to witness heavy rainfall today.
Residents have been cautioned against venturing into waterlogged stretches and asked to follow local advisories.
Other districts, including Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari, are also likely to get heavy showers today.
The IMD has issued a separate heavy-rain warning for several southern districts, such as Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Kanyakumari, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Theni, on Tuesday.
The city is expected to remain cloudy with occasional heavy bursts of rain. Corporation field teams have been kept on standby to manage flooding in low-lying areas. People have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel during intense spells.
With the northeast monsoon active, the IMD says it is keeping a close watch on the system. Officials have urged the public to rely on official bulletins for updates.
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