Chennai, Oct 21 Heavy rains lashed several parts of Tamil Nadu, leading to the uprooting of trees and waterlogging woes in low-lying areas and the IMD on Wednesday issued its forecast for more rains for the next two days as a Low Pressure Area formed over the Southwest Bay of Bengal.
The heavy to very heavy rains that began on Tuesday continued overnight, with MGR Nagar in Chennai recording the highest of 15 cm rainfall and several neighbourhoods in and around the state capital registering between 10 and 15 cm. Several parts of Tamil Nadu experienced intermittent rainfall on Wednesday.
Authorities declared a holiday for schools in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts.
While the rains contributed to the filling up of reservoirs that supply drinking water to the city, it also led to inundation in many areas, including Taramani-OMR and several stretches of downtown T Nagar.
The catchment areas of Poondi, Cholavaram, Puzhal, Kannankottai Thervoy Kandigai, and Chembarambakkam reservoirs received up to 6.1 cm rainfall.
In Greater Chennai Corporation areas, 37,600 food packets were provided on October 21 to people in affected areas through 103 cooking centres.
The corporation is also holding camps across all zones to detect fever symptoms and treat people.
Heavy-duty motors mounted on tractors were deployed to clear waterlogging in several affected areas, including Perungudi and Manali. Clogged causeways and channels were also cleared.
Uprooted trees in several areas were removed, and officials also deployed personnel for pruning low-hanging tree branches under a special programme for monsoon preparedness and, as of October 20, 2026, Greater Chennai Corporation said, “78,161 branches have been cut and cleared”.
Ministers including N Anand, Chennai mayor R Priya, elected representatives, and top officials inspected rain-related work and tasks to boost monsoon preparedness.
In Tuticorin, swathes of saltpans came under sheets of water and hawkers selling raincoats, caps and umbrellas did brisk business, as mechanics who attended to two-wheelers stalled due to waterlogging.
With the northeast monsoon continuing to be active, the IMD’s Regional Meteorological Centre said: “Under the influence of yesterday’s upper air cyclonic circulation over Southwest Bay of Bengal off Tamil Nadu coast, a Low Pressure Area formed over the same region at 0530 IST of today, the 21st October, 2026 and persists over the same region at 0830 hrs IST of today.”
The associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level.
Tuesday’s trough from the cyclonic circulation over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Tamil Nadu coast to north coastal Andhra Pradesh at 3.1 km above mean sea level has become less marked.
On October 22, heavy to very heavy rain is likely at isolated places accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning with gusty wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph at one or two places.
Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts and Karaikal in Puducherry are the areas where such showers are expected.
Similarly, on October 23, widespread rainfall is expected. “Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places with thunderstorm & lightning with gusty wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph at one or two places is likely to occur over Kanyakumari, Nilgiris and Coimbatore,” a bulletin said.
Rainfall was reported from several regions of the state, and Thudiyalur (Coimbatore district), Sivagiri (Tenkasi), Pamban (Ramanathapuram), and Rajapalayam (Virudhunagar) were among a string of areas that recorded 5-6 cm rainfall.
The recordings on rainfall cover 24 hours from 8.30 am on 20 Oct to 8.30 am on Oct 21.
(PTI News)
