Rain lashes TN, traffic hit in Chennai

Rain lashed many parts of Tamil Nadu today bringing relief to people from the sweltering summer, however, a senior Meteorological official said showers will gradually decline in northern coastal districts of the state.
"Upper air circulation over Lakshwadeep area and neighbourhood was drawing moist bay current across Tamil Nadu. As a result it rained at many places over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry today," Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, SR Ramanan told PTI.
Thangachimadam, Chennai (Meenambakkam), received 10 cm rain each and Nagudi (Pudukottai District) and Rameswaram got 9 cm rainfall. Chennai city (Nungambakkam) recorded 2.6 mm of rain.

"In the next 24 hours there will be a gradual reduction in rain for northern coastal districts," he said.
Traffic movement came to a grinding halt here as a result of the rain with vehicles piled up for kilometers in several localities including T Nagar, Velachery, Kathipara junction and the arterial GST Road for over two hours.
Subways including Thillai Ganga Nagar and Pazhavanthangal in southern suburbs were inundated virtually cutting off movement of vehicles to the city and western areas like Poonamalle, Porur via the GST Road.

A bus which got stuck in sludge on GST Road near Meenambakkam also delayed the traffic movement. Interior roads were choked and inundated resulting in a chaotic traffic situation.

Sharp morning showers caught office-goers unawares even as rain brought cheers as mercury levels were going up earlier.
Farmers also expressed joy over the unexpected rains.
The weather office forecast rain or thundershowers at many places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and at a few places over Lakshadweep and Interior Karnataka for Thursday.
Isolated rain or thundershowers may occur over coastal Karnataka, it added.