Heavy rain lashes Chennai, causes traffic snarls, flooding; IMD issues red alert

Several areas have recorded over 100 mm rainfall. MRC Nagar recorded the highest rainfall at 176.5mm till 6:15pm today.

Rains lashed several parts of Chennai and its suburbs with strong winds on Thursday afternoon. An orange alert has been sounded in the coastal city with about 13cm rainfall till 5:30pm.

Commuters make their way through a street during a heavy rain shower in Chennai on December 30, 2021. (AFP)

Areas across Chennai including Marina beach, Patinapakkam, MRC Nagar, Nandanam, Mylapore and other suburban areas witnessed cool winds with moderate rainfall.

The city witnessed traffic snarls as several roads were flooded and commuters were stuck on roads for hours. At least three deaths due to rain-related incidents have been reported so far.

Meanwhile, Chennai’s MetroRail extended services by an hour from 11pm to 12am.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Chennai, MRC Nagar recorded the highest rainfall at 176.5mm till 6:15pm today.

“More clouds blooming off Chennai coast and looks like rains wont stop anytime soon. Go home safe, avoid T.Nagar, Alwarpet, Royapettah, Nunga & surrounding areas,” tweeted Pradeep John, a weather blogger better known as the ‘Tamil Nadu Weatherman’, while noting over 200mm rainfall in Mylapore.

The IMD had predicted ‘heavy to very heavy’ rainfall in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram and Chengalpattu districts. The rain was expected to last for two hours.

Earlier today, the IMD forecasted heavy rainfall in isolated areas of coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on December 31 and January 1.