Chennai takes a breather from the rain and free food will be offered at Amma Canteens today | Latest News India

Despite a red alert being issued for Chennai and its adjoining districts on Wednesday, the city got a break with no rainfall recorded after over 11 cm of rain lashed Chennai on Tuesday.

Even as the state government drained rainwater from arterial roads, several residential localities such as Thiruvanmiyur, Pallikaranai, Pattalam, Perambur, Mambalam, Vyasarpadi and Korattur remained flooded.

The Chennai corporation on Wednesday began drone trials to help deliver essential items to residents living in low-lying areas. Schools and colleges remained closed for two days since October 15 and the state also declared a government holiday on Wednesday.

Chief Minister MK Stalin announced that food will be provided free of charge at “Amma Canteens” on Wednesday and Thursday. He said the government has been preparing for the last three months to mitigate flooding problems during the northeast monsoon. “Work on stormwater drains and other preparations helped. Ask people for their opinion,” Stalin told reporters after inspecting flood-hit south Chennai.

After the DMK formed the government in 2021, a Flood Risk Mitigation and Management Advisory Committee was formed to provide recommendations for the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA). It was led by a former IAS officer, V Thiruppugazh. “We will implement the recommendations in a phased manner. Around 25-30% of the work is pending and we will complete it soon,” Stalin said.

Forecasters previously predicted heavy rain until October 18. A depression over the Bay of Bengal was about 320 km east-southeast of Chennai on Wednesday morning. “The depression is moving in a northwesterly direction, approaching north Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh,” said S Balachandran, director of the Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) in Chennai.

“It is expected to cross between Nellore and Puducherry, near Chennai. In the next 24 hours (till October 17) there is a possibility of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places in Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram and Chennai districts. This does not mean that the entire district will experience heavy or extremely heavy rain… There is no chance of the current system becoming a cyclone.”

The northeast monsoon began its activity in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. In the last 24 hours, five places recorded extremely heavy rain, 48 places recorded very heavy rain and 21 places recorded heavy rain, the RMC said on Wednesday.

“Due to the current system, light to moderate rains are likely to occur at many places with thunder and lightning at one or two places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal areas,” the RMC said. “Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy rainfall is likely at one or two places in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in Ranipet, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi and Puducherry districts. Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Thanjavur, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Karaikal area.”