Cyclone: Rain lashes Tamil Nadu, schools closed in affected areas

Chennai: Chennai and several parts of Tamil Nadu received rain on Monday with the IMD forecasting more rainfall till December 15 owing to a cyclonic circulation and low-pressure area likely to form in the Bay of Bengal around December 13.

Schools in certain areas including in Tiruvallur and Uthukottai Taluks besides the Kancheepuram district declared a holiday on Monday based on the forecast.

"Due to an increase in rain during the day and continuous rain forecast, all schools in Tiruvallur district have been instructed to close by 3 pm today. Also, a holiday has been declared for all the schools in the district for tomorrow," said Collector Alby John.

Even as a steady downpour continued to affect normal life, tree branches that fell when Cyclone Mandous crossed the coast at Mamallapuram near here, are being cleared by the civic authorities.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), under the influence of a cyclonic circulation over north interior Tamil Nadu and adjoining south interior Karnataka and north Kerala, a low-pressure area is likely to form over the same region around December 13. It will move west-northwestwards away from the Indian coast thereafter.

Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over Tamil Nadu today and over Kerala and Mahe and decrease in rainfall activity over the region thereafter, it said.

Squally weather with a wind velocity reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is very likely over the southeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea and along and off the Kerala-Karnataka coast on Monday and Tuesday, the forecast said.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the southeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea and along and off the Kerala-Karnataka coast on December 12 and 13.

The five major reservoirs in Chennai and neighbouring district, are fast filling up owing to heavy rains and Poondi dam is inching to its full level capacity on Monday.

While Poondi reservoir has 139.05 ft water (as against 140 ft level), Cholavaram has 61.83 ft (65), Redhills: 47.05 (50), Kannankottai Thervoykandigai reached its full capacity of 115.35 ft and Chembarambakkam dam: 83 (85 ft).

According to Public Works Department, the dams together received a combined inflow of 9,613 cusecs with a total discharge of 7,902 cusecs. The reservoirs have a combined storage of 9,825 mcft as against 10,833 mcft during this time last year.

"The remnants of the now weakened Cyclone Mandous will completely recede. Today’s rain is apparently due to the influence of the remnant," according to S Balachandran, Additional Director-General of Meteorology, Chennai.

"There are no major forecasts for the next five days," he said.

Since the onset of the North East Monsoon on October 1, the state has received a normal rainfall of 401 mm, Balachandran told reporters here.