Tamil Nadu Residents Advised to be Vigilant as Heavy Rains Loom

As an intense low-pressure system brings heavy to very heavy rainfall to several parts of the country, Tamil Nadu and surrounding regions have been issued rain alerts by the Meteorological Department. The Water Resources Department released water from the Poondi Reservoir in excess of capacity, and a general warning has been issued for residents living near the Kosasthalayar River and low-lying areas.

Heavy to very heavy rains are forecasted to hit Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Rayalaseema, Kerala, and coastal Andhra Pradesh between December 12 and 18, prompting rain alerts on December 12, 13, 16, and 18. This has caused Tamil Nadu to release excess water from the Poondi Reservoir, releasing 1,000 cusecs after recording an inflow of 3,500 cusecs, more than its capacity, due to increased rainfall and discharge from the Ammapalli Reservoir in Andhra Pradesh. Meanwhile, parts of northern India are grappling with cold wave conditions, with Haryana experiencing a cold wave, severe cold wave warnings in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Minimum temperatures are abnormally low in Rajasthan, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, prompting a cold wave alert for UP and the Delhi region from December 12-15.

In a separate development, Chennai faced heavy rainfall on December 12, with the Integrated Command and Control Centre recording an average of 4.956 cm from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Corporation was quick to respond, setting up 361 relief centers providing food, shelter, and essentials. As of December 12, the Corporation has resolved over 52,000 complaints, the highest number received through the 1,913 helpline since October 15. Engineers cleared 417 fallen trees since October 1, indicating the large scale of the recent efforts to address the impact of heavy rainfall. Overall, in relief camps that have been operational since October 15 to December 12, over 2,06,972 people have been provided support, indicating the scale of resource mobilized in relief and assistance.

The residents in the affected areas are advised to stay informed and vigilant as the heavy rainfall warnings indicate a significant increase in rain intensity during the coming week. Relief operations are in full swing, with authorities working tirelessly to mitigate the damage caused by the heavy rains.