The severe rains continued to affect Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday, November 17. On Wednesday night, the city received 2 cm of rain. On Thursday, schools and institutions in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Ranipet, Dindugal, Pudhukottai, Theni, Vellore, Ariyallur, Nagapattinam, Villupura, Thiruvarur, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Villipuram, Thanjavur, and Dharmapuri would be closed.
Salem, Trichy, and Thiruvanamallai have all announced a school holiday.
The Chennai Corporation has set up a war room where officials from the civic body are monitoring the red alert scenario caused by heavy rain.
On Thursday, a thunderstorm with heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall, is expected in the Tamil Nadu districts of Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Ranipettai, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre’s forecast. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected in Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu, Tirupattur, and Vellore districts on the same day.
On Wednesday, S Balachandran, the India Meteorological Department’s Southern regional chief, predicted exceptionally heavy rain for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, and Chengalpattu on Thursday.
“There is a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal. It is moving towards us and there is a low-pressure area in the Arabian Sea as well. Under the influence of the two systems in the east and the west, there will be heavy rainfall,” he said.
Fishermen have been advised against going out into the water.
The general population should take all recommended safety precautions and avoid going outside needlessly. The National Weather Service has encouraged residents to stock up on drinking water.
Rainfall is forecast in various portions of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikkal until November 21.
