Chennai rain: schools shut in five districts after overnight downpour, more heavy rain forecast until October 26

Schools in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Ranipet districts stayed shut on Wednesday, October 21, after heavy rain lashed Chennai and its neighbouring districts through Tuesday night. District collectors declared the holiday as water stagnated on several roads, including Anna Salai, and in low-lying parts of the city.

MGR Nagar topped Chennai’s rainfall chart with 15 cm in the 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Wednesday, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), The Hindu reported. Among the Greater Chennai Corporation’s rain gauges, Vadapalani recorded 132.9 mm, Saidapet 125.2 mm and Alandur 119.4 mm, DT Next reported. South Chennai areas such as Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Velachery and Adyar were among the worst hit, according to Moneycontrol.

The corporation said it worked through the night to clear waterlogged roads and subways. By 5 am it had received 1,212 complaints, most about waterlogging, along with over 50 about fallen trees and streetlights, DT Next reported. Commissioner G S Sameeran said all 420 bus-route roads in the city were open to traffic, though pumping was still going on in some low-lying areas, including AGS Colony in Velachery. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay directed civic authorities to respond quickly and restore normalcy.

The rain is part of the northeast monsoon, which usually brings Tamil Nadu around half or more of its annual rainfall between mid-October and mid-December. In its Tuesday night bulletin, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said an upper-air cyclonic circulation lay over the southwest Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Tamil Nadu coast, with a low-pressure area likely to form there. A second low is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal around October 23.

The IMD expects heavy to very heavy rain over parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal until October 26, with thunderstorms and gusty winds of 40 to 50 kmph at places. The RMC issued orange alerts for southern districts including Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi, which may receive up to 20 cm on Wednesday and Thursday. In Vellore, residents of villages along the Palar river were told not to cross it and those in low-lying areas to move to shelters, The Hindu reported.

Wednesday’s school holiday applied only to that day. No closure order for Thursday had been reported at the time of publishing; collectors usually announce such decisions late in the evening or early in the morning.