Heavy rains lash Chennai, Stalin tells ministers to rush to rain-hit areas

Heavy rains pounded Chennai and other northern coastal regions of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday as a low pressure area developed into a well-marked low pressure area.

Chief Minister MK Stalin directed ministers, legislators and representatives of local bodies to provide all necessary support to the people in rain affected areas.

A Meteorological department official said Chennai and nearby regions in northern coastal Tamil Nadu experienced heavy rainfall on Wednesday, which was in the range of 5 cm-6 cm and even above in some areas.

Besides heavy traffic congestion, the intermittent heavy rains led to inundation in several parts of the city and neighbouring districts of Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengelpet.

Vehicular movement was affected in several areas including Sholinganallur in the IT corridor, besides many arterial roads.

Railway sources said 'there is delay in operation' in suburban services in view of water logging over railway tracks in the
Ambattur-Avadi-Arakkaonam sections.

In both arrival and departure of flights, some delay was experienced due to showers, airport sources said. All arrangements are in place to prevent inundation of runways, they added.

A Regional Meteorological Centre bulletin here said Tuesday's Low Pressure Area developed into a Well Marked Low Pressure Area on November 29.

The low pressure system is over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea. The system is likely to concentrate into a depression on November 30 and later into a cyclonic storm.

Under the influence of a cyclonic circulation over Sri Lanka and the low pressure system, rainfall is likely at many places in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry upto December 3.

Civic authorities used heavy duty motors to bale out water from the subways and key intersections.