Heavy overnight rains in the city have once again resulted in inundation of low-lying areas and subways, even as the weather office forecast more rain in the state.
The sharp showers left railway underbridges at Minambakkam, Alandur and Palavanthangal water-logged, rendering them useless for commuters.These subways in the southern suburbs serve as key connecting points to GST Road leading to the city.
Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon, which brings the bulk of rain to Tamil Nadu, was 'active', the weather office said even as a trough of low pressure over Southwest Bay and adjoining Srilanka Coast brought more rains to the city and its suburbs last night.
The weather office forecast light to moderate rain at a few places over all the districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and said rain or thundershowers may occur in some areas in Chennai.
Meanwhile, Papanasam (Tirunelveli district) and Tambaram (Kancheepuram dt) received 18 cm and 17 cm of rainfall respectively, according to the rainfall statistics available till 8.30 AM.
Many other parts of the state also received good spells.
The bountiful rains have filled various water bodies in different parts of the state, including in Chennai and neighbouring Kancheepuram and Tiruvallore districts.
(REOPEN MDS3)
Meanwhile, the Met Office said Tamil Nadu has received
excess rainfall till date ever since the North East monsoon became active.
The NE monsoon sets in during the October-December period.
S R Ramanan, Director of Regional Meteorological Centre said Tamil Nadu usually receives 44 cm rainfall during this three month period. "Till today the amount of rainfall received is 48 cm, an increase of four centimetres", he told reporters.
As far as Chennai and its outskirts was concerned, it had received 114 cm of rainfall during this period, against the normal 79 cm, he said
Ramanan said rainfall was likely to decrease in a phased manner across Tamil Nadu in the coming days.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had recently stated during a visit to her Radha Krishnan Nagar constituency that the state had received the equivalent of three months rainfall in just three days between November 16 and Nov 18.
(REOPEN MDS3)
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered a solatium of Rs four lakh each to the kin of Karunakaran and Sudha, who were killed after a live electricity transmission overhead cable snapped and fell on them.
The mishap occured on November 22 when the couple were heading home on their two-wheeler along with their two minor children.
Subsequently, four TANGEDCO (State-run power corporation) staffers were suspended for not allegedly attending to the issue of dangling overhead cables.
