Chennai: A low-pressure area that will form over the Bay of Bengal tomorrow (Oct. 23) is strengthening into a cyclone. In view of this, the Chennai Meteorological Department has said that heavy rain may occur today in 18 districts of Tamil Nadu, including the delta districts.
Regarding this, Chennai Meteorological Centre Director V.R. Durai told reporters yesterday:
A low-pressure area is likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal and the central east Bay of Bengal tomorrow (23rd) and strengthen into a cyclone. It will intensify and move westward and southwestward. According to the current data, Tamil Nadu will not be affected by this cyclone.
A low-pressure area has formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal, off the Tamil Nadu coastal region. It is unlikely to intensify into a cyclone. As a result, in Tamil Nadu, heavy to very heavy rain may occur at one or two places in the districts of Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai.
Heavy rain is likely in one or two places in the districts of Tiruchi, Erode, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Namakkal, Villupuram, Tiruppur, and Karur. In addition, moderate rain accompanied by thunder, lightning, and strong winds may occur in most parts of the state.
Tomorrow (the 23rd), in one or two places in the districts of Kanniyakumari, Nilgiris, and Coimbatore, heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by thunder, lightning, and strong winds may occur. In Erode, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchi, Theni, Tenkasi, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruppur, and Perambalur districts, heavy rain may occur in one or two places, and moderate rain may also occur in most parts of the state. In Chennai and the suburban areas, the sky will generally remain cloudy today. There is a possibility of moderate rain with thunder and lightning in a few parts of the city.
According to the rainfall recorded in the 24 hours ending at 8:30 a.m. yesterday in Tamil Nadu, 15 cm was recorded in Chennai MGR Nagar, 14 cm in Vadapalani, and 13 cm each in Saidapet, Chennai Airport, Alandur, and Kolapakkam in Kanchipuram district. In Chennai Meenambakkam, the DGP Office, Madipakkam, Valasaravakkam, Madhuravoyal, and Kulachal in Kanyakumari district, 12 cm each of rainfall was recorded.
Due to the El Niño effect, the northeast monsoon is unlikely to decrease. It will likely be heavier. From October to December, during the northeast monsoon season, an average of 44 cm of rain is usually received. This year, as of Oct. 21 (yesterday), 11 cm of rain has fallen. During this period, 10 cm of rain is usually received. At present, 11 cm of rain has fallen, which is 1 percent more. V.R. Durai said this.
‘No crop damage in the delta’
Tamil Nadu Revenue Administration Commissioner P. Chandramohan told reporters yesterday: Due to the heavy rain that fell in Chennai, rainwater accumulated in low-lying areas. In most places, the rainwater has been drained away. Trees that fell because of the heavy rain are being removed immediately. So far, no reports have been received of houses being damaged by the heavy rain. Over the past 48 hours, we have spoken with all district collectors. We are still speaking with them.
Everyone is prepared with precautions to deal with the rain. The Meteorological Department has said there is a possibility of heavy rain in the southern districts, including Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, and Tirunelveli. District collectors there are also on standby. Rescue teams are also on standby. So far, no crop damage has occurred in the delta districts. He said this.
Conflicting information on the rain gauge
On the night of Oct. 17, Chennai city experienced extremely heavy rainfall. The maximum rainfall recorded was 36 cm in Parry’s Corner. Many roads in the city were flooded. Since about 10 cm of rain was recorded between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. that evening, reports spread that it was a cloudburst. However, the Chennai Meteorological Department clarified that the heavy rain was not due to a cloudburst.
On that day, 36 cm of rain was recorded at the automatic rain gauge installed by the corporation at Parry's Corner. Nearby, 27 cm of rain was recorded at the corporation rain gauge in the Chennai Central area. At the corporation rain gauge in Puthupet, which is very close to Central, only 14 cm of rain was recorded.
Compared with Parimunai, 13 cm less rain was recorded in Central and New Pettah, where Central recorded 9 cm. This has raised questions about the reliability of the data from the municipal rain gauges. Furthermore, at Meenambakkam, 28 cm was recorded in the municipal rain gauge, while 15 cm was recorded in the weather bureau rain gauge. Here, conflicting information has been recorded between the municipal and weather bureau rain gauges.
Because 36 cm of rain had fallen in Parimunai by the morning of the 18th, the Meteorological Department said there was a chance of heavy rain the next day as well. When reporters asked Meteorological Department Director V.R. Durai about this, he said, “There is no possibility of such a variation. In this regard, officials of the Meteorological Department and the Chennai Corporation have been instructed by their respective departments to examine all rain gauges.”