Chennai rains: Former CM inspects waterlogged areas in city as downpour continues

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday inspected the waterlogged areas in Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Mugalivakkam in Chennai.

Continuous heavy rains have caused severe waterlogging in the Mugalivakkam area of Chennai as well as other districts of the state.

On Sunday, schools and colleges in Chennai and 22 other districts remained closed. The holiday was declared in 23 districts including Chennai, Kanchipuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Thiruvallur, Villupuram, Thiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Nilgiris. This was the second time that schools and colleges have been shut in Chennai in November.

On Sunday, Chief Minister MK Stalin also inspected rain-affected and waterlogged areas and said that the water drainage department and public works department are working in the waterlogged areas of the state, as per the ANI news agency.

CM Stalin said that the state would continue to experience rainfall but there is no danger; he further informed about his visit to the Seerkazhi area in the Nagapattinam District of the state to do inspection rain-affected areas.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday predicted moderate to heavy rain with thunderstorms and lightning in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal area over the next three days.

Chennai has been experiencing heavy rainfall  just 10 days after the city recorded its heaviest rainfall in more than 30 years on November 1. Since October 31, at least 26 people have died in rain-related incidents, BBC reported.

Authorities are on high alert as parts of the city have been submerged in water with more heavy rains expected in the coming days.

The IMD had said that a low-pressure area over the Southwest Bay of Bengal off the Sri Lanka coast with associated cyclonic circulation which it said is likely to become more marked during the next 24 hours.