Chennai Rains: War Room Set Up to Tackle Red Alert, 50 Boats, 689 Motor Pumps Ready; Schools Shut
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in Chennai and its surrounding districts for Thursday as the city is likely to receive extremely heavy rainfall. Heavy downpour is expected to continue across Tamil Nadu till November 21.
Districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Ranipet may experience heavy to very heavy rain.
The low-pressure area over south-east and south-west Bay of Bengal, with the associated cyclonic circulation, is likely to move westwards and reach west-central and adjoining south-west Bay of Bengal off the south Andhra Pradesh-north Tamil Nadu coast by November 18.
“Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy falls over Rayalaseema, north Tamilnadu, Puducherry & Karaikal and south Coastal Andhra Pradesh on 18th November 2021,” IMD warned.
Ahead of expected heavy downpour, officials of Chennai, Theni, Tuticorin and Dindigul district administrations have declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Thursday. While the Chennai civic body’s war room is set up, where officials are monitoring red alert.
In all high-risk flood-prone areas, corporation engineers have been appointed for every zone to expedite flood mitigation measures. Along with this, civic officials told The New Indian Express, that a total of 689 motor pumps including 448 owned by the corporation, 199 rented motor pumps and 37 from other associations have been deployed across the city. Of these, 22 motor pumps have more than 100 horse power and 28 have more than 50 HP, meaning water would be drained out faster.
On Thursday, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Ranipet may experience heavy to very heavy rain. One or two places in these districts are likely to get intense rain of 20.4 cm, while 10 other districts are likely to get heavy or very heavy rain, The rainfall may continue in some districts on November 19 and 20.
Along with a red alert, IMD has also issued a strong winds warning and stated, “Strong winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph) very likely over Westcentral & adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal, along with & off south Andhra Pradesh-north Tamilnadu coasts during 17th-19th November.”