Several areas in Chennai continued to receive rain on Sunday leaving many areas flooded after the capital city of Tamil Nadu witnessed rainfall overnight, prompting authorities to issue warnings and evacuate people from low-lying areas.
Some areas such as Guduvancherry, Mannivakkam and Varadarajapuram were among those which were flooded, reports said, adding several residents were evacuated in boats.
Twitter users posted pictures and videos of inundated areas as reports of sewage water flowing on roads and into homes also came in.
Also read | IMD issues orange alert for south Andhra Pradesh, north Tamil Nadu districts
{{/usCountry}}Also read | IMD issues orange alert for south Andhra Pradesh, north Tamil Nadu districts
{{/usCountry}}According to data, Chennai has recorded 1000mm of rain in a month for the fourth time for any month and the third time in November in 200 years. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin also tweeted about the relentless rain on Saturday as he inspected inundated areas in Chennai and monitored relief initiatives.
Tamil Nadu minister for revenue and disaster management KKSSR Ramachandran said on Saturday the state received about 60.33cm rainfall from October 1 and till November 27 as against the usual 34.57cm. An IMD official told PTI Chennai registered 106cm rainfall during the same period even as 60cm is normal.
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The India Meteorological Department has said that a cyclonic circulation is lying over the Comorin area and adjoining Sri Lanka coasts in the lower levels and strong northeasterly winds are prevailing over Tamil Nadu coast and south coastal Andhra Pradesh at lower levels to the north of the circulation.
“The circulation is likely to emerge in the Arabian Sea on 29th November and move northwestwards thereafter. Under its influence, light to moderate fairly widespread or widespread rainfall very likely over Tamilnadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, Kerala & Mahe and Lakshadweep area and Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over south Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam, Rayalaseema during next 3 days and decrease thereafter,” IMD said in its bulletin on Saturday.
An independent weather blogger said that rain is expected in the interior, west and south Tamil Nadu on Sunday. “Reduction in rains in Chennai likely compared to previous 2 days and lets see how clouds form later tonight. Vortex may likely form in Gulf of Mannar and heavy rains chance exist for South TN,” Pradeep John said in a tweet.
The state government said in a release on Saturday 653 people have been housed in six relief centres in Chennai and 825 packets of food were distributed to them.
More than 8,500 cusecs of surplus water was released from reservoirs, including Poondi that cater to Chennai's drinking water, needs in view of the rainfall in catchment areas, it added.