 "People being rescued from inundated Kotturpuram locality after heavy rains in Chennai")
India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects rains to lash the deluged city of Chennai for the next three days. Tamil Nadu, which has already recorded 50% more than normal rainfall since October, will not get any respite due to a weather system forming in the Bay of Bengal. IMD Director General Laxman Singh Rathore said IMD, the National Disaster Management Authority and government officials in Chennai were in regular contact. "There will be no respite… The next 48 hours is very critical for the three cities of Kancheepuram, Chennai and Thiruvallur and we are adivising people to take all possible precautions," he said.
"Even after three days, the rains might not subside completely as the anti-cyclone will confluence with the westerlies which would keep the rains, though their intensity might subside a bit," Rathore added.
Chennai experienced rainfall that was 89% more than normal. The worst-affected districts were Kancheepuram with 154% excess rainfall, Vellore with 136% and Tiruvallur with 139%. According to IMD Chennai, heavy rainfall and thundershowers can be expected in coastal Tamil Nadu till 6 December. Torrential rains in Chennai, the heaviest in a century, have also worried IMD. "These are not good signs. Every year, we are breaking records of warmest temperatures and the variability of rainfall in terms of quantity, duration and wet spells is increasing," said Rathore.
The IMD chief further added that there is a definite increase in the number of extreme weather events and reduction in the number of rainy days.
