Weather department predicts heavy rain in three TN districts
Chennai: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has forecast heavy rainfall in the districts of Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari on Wednesday.
Light to moderate rainfall is expected in many parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry until January 17. Chennai is likely to experience light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The maximum temperature in the city is expected to reach 27 degrees Celsius, while the minimum may hover between 23 degrees and 24 degrees under a cloudy sky.
The RMC stated that an upper air circulation will result in mild rain in Chennai and its surrounding districts until January 16. Heavy rainfall will be confined to the Manjolai belt, while the coastal areas from Chennai to the delta districts and Thoothukudi may experience light rain.
Additionally, a low-pressure system is predicted to bring rain to the state between January 19 and 21.
Tamil Nadu has received 14 per cent excess rainfall during the northeast monsoon season, recording 447 mm against the seasonal average of 393 mm. Chennai registered 845 mm of rainfall, which is 16 per cent above average, while Coimbatore saw a significant 47 per cent increase.
Cyclone Fengal, which hit Tamil Nadu between November 29 and December 1, caused widespread destruction. It resulted in 12 fatalities. Inundation of 2,11,139 hectares of agricultural land, damage to 1,649 km of electric conductors, 23,664 electric poles, and 997 transformers, destruction of 9,576 km of roads, 1,847 culverts, and 417 tanks. Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Kallakurichi districts experienced over 50 cm of rainfall in a single day, equivalent to an entire season’s average. T
The cyclone led to severe flooding, and crop damage, and affected 69 lakh families and 1.5 crore individuals statewide. The Tamil Nadu government has officially declared Cyclone Fengal a severe natural disaster.
The state’s preliminary damage assessment estimated the cost of relief and reconstruction at Rs 2,475 crore, while the Central government sanctioned Rs 944 crore as interim relief. Relief measures announced by the Tamil Nadu government include Rs 5 lakh to families of those who lost their lives, and financial aid of Rs 2,000 for residents of Villupuram, Kallakurichi, and Cuddalore districts whose livelihoods were disrupted.