Due to the intensification of the northeast monsoon and the presence of a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, widespread heavy rain fell across Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
As it has been reported that the ‘Arnab’ cyclone is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal on Monday, an ‘orange’ alert for very heavy rain has been issued for the three districts of Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram.
Heavy rain has been lashing Tamil Nadu for the past few days. In Nilgiris district, where continuous rain on Saturday caused landslides in several places, widespread heavy rain fell across Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
In Coimbatore... Due to the heavy rain that fell in Coimbatore, floodwater entered houses and shops in the city. Since noon, rain has been falling in various parts of the city, including Ukkadam, Selvapuram, Kuniamuthur, Sundakkampalayam, Ramanathapuram, Singanallur, Ondipudur, Peelamedu, Lakshmi Mills, and Gandhipuram. As a result, rainwater flowed along the Avinashi Road flyover and the lower section of the Lanka Corner flyover.
Tourists barred in Yercaud: Due to rain, tourist vehicles were turned back from the foothills of Yercaud, a tourist destination in Salem district, from Sunday morning. Only those living in the hill villages of Yercaud were allowed to go up.
In Cuddalore district... In Cuddalore district, heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning lashed various areas including Cuddalore, Panruti, Neyveli, Kurinjipadi, Vriddhachalam, and Chidambaram on Sunday. Rainwater surged like a flood on the main roads. As a result, vehicles moved slowly on the roads.
Traffic was disrupted because rainwater accumulated in the railway underpass at Thiruppathirippuliyur. Rainwater also entered the famous Padaleeswarar Temple.
Priest dies: Ramachandran (35) had been serving as the priest of the Chelliamman Temple in Vanpakkam village. When he climbed onto the temple to check for water leakage, he was electrocuted and died. Nellikuppam police have registered a case and are investigating.
In Nellai... Rain fell widely from morning across various parts of Tirunelveli district. In Tirunelveli city, moderate rain fell from morning until noon.
Storm forming today: A press release issued by the Chennai Meteorological Department on Sunday said that the deep depression that had been prevailing over the central east and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal areas intensified and remained as a depression over the same areas.
It moved southeastward and, by Sunday morning, was located as a depression over the central east and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal areas. It will move southward, intensify into a deep depression, and by Monday morning (Oct. 26) form into Cyclone ‘Arnab’ over the central east and adjoining central west Bay of Bengal areas.
Following this, it could intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the central west Bay of Bengal on Tuesday morning (Oct. 27). Moving northwestward, it may strengthen further into a very severe cyclonic storm and reach the central west Bay of Bengal near the Andhra coastal areas. It could cross the coast as a very severe cyclonic storm between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam along the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and Yanam early on Wednesday (Oct. 28).
Warning for several districts: Due to the cyclone, an ‘orange’ alert has been issued for Monday (Oct. 26) in Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram districts, as there is a possibility of very heavy rain with thunder, lightning, and strong winds in one or two places.
A ‘yellow’ alert has been issued for Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Karur, Trichy, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam districts, as there is a possibility of heavy rain with thunder, lightning, and strong winds in one or two places.
On Tuesday (Oct. 27), a heavy spell of rain accompanied by thunder, lightning, and strong winds is likely in one or two places in Ramanathapuram district. From Wednesday (Oct. 28) to Saturday (Oct. 31), moderate rain is likely in one or two places in the Western Ghats districts and in southern Tamil Nadu.
In Chennai and suburban areas, the sky will be partly cloudy on Monday. Moderate rain accompanied by thunder and lightning is likely in a few parts of the city.
Rainfall record: In Tamil Nadu, during the past 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. on Sunday, the highest rainfall was recorded at Devikapuram in Tiruvannamalai district, with 200 mm.
Nedungunam (Tiruvannamalai) recorded 180 mm of rain; Rishivandiyam (Kallakurichi) and Chetput (Tiruvannamalai) recorded 170 mm; Mudiyanur (Kallakurichi), Nolambai (Viluppuram), and Pikkili (Dharmapuri) recorded 160 mm; Kalyanallur (Kallakurichi) recorded 150 mm; Okenakkal (Dharmapuri), Thazhuthalai, Noothappur (Perambalur), Periya Kolappalur, and Modaiyur (Tiruvannamalai) recorded 140 mm; Thiyagadurgam, Virugavur, and Varanjaram (Kallakurichi), Mangalapuram (Namakkal), Sathampadi (Viluppuram), Pachaimalai, and Veeraganur (Salem) recorded 130 mm; Veppanthattai (Perambalur), Thenparanadu (Trichy), and Yethapur (Salem), Mangalur, Pathirikuppam, A. Marur (Cuddalore), Molasi, Chellampampatti, and Sithalanthur (Namakkal), and Thirupalapandhal (Kallakurichi) recorded 120 mm; Kallakurichi, Periyamampattu (Kallakurichi), Perambalur, Tholuthur, Cuddalore, Theerthangiri (Cuddalore), Koothampoondi (Namakkal), Sogadi (Krishnagiri), Belur (Salem), Namandahalli (Dharmapuri), and Mazhaiyur (Tiruvannamalai) recorded 110 mm of rain.
Chennai will not be affected: Chennai will not be affected by the ‘Arnab’ cyclone, which is expected to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday (Oct. 28); therefore, the public need not be alarmed, said Meteorological Department Director V.R. Durai.
Warning for fishermen: Due to the cyclone likely to form in the Bay of Bengal, cyclonic winds may blow at 55 kmph in the Gulf of Mannar and the Kumari Sea areas on Monday (Oct. 26). In the coastal areas of northern Tamil Nadu, cyclonic winds may also blow at 55 kmph on Tuesday and Wednesday (Oct. 27, 28).
Along the Andhra coastal areas, cyclonic winds may blow on Tuesday (Oct. 27) at 60 kmph in the morning, 80 kmph in the afternoon, and 110 kmph in the evening; on Wednesday (Oct. 28), the wind speed may increase to 140 kmph in the morning and then decrease to 90 kmph in the evening. Therefore, the Chennai Meteorological Department has advised fishermen not to go to those areas.