The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal is now located at 125 km south east of Chennai and is expected to move between Chennai and Andhra Pradesh coast at 5.30 AM tomorrow and as a result Chennai and neighbouring districts are expected to receive very heavy rain of more than 25 cm.
Swinging into action, the state government has directed District Collectors and senior IAS officials to take up all precautionary measures in the region.
Quoting a latest bulletin from the MeT department that the deep depression, which was earlier 240 km from Chennai coast, has moved and is now located at 125 km south east of Chennai, an official release said it was expected to move between Chennai and Andhra Pradesh coast tomorrow morning.
"As a result of this, Chennai and its neighbouring districts is expected to receive very heavy rainfall of more than 25 cm, while Cuddalore, Villupuram, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts are expected to receive more than 12 cm of rainfall with winds of 50-60 km per hour," the release said.
Public is requested to take all safety measures and fishermen are advised not to venture into sea, it added.
District Collectors have been advised to take all precautionary measures and senior civil servants asked to visit those districts which is expected to receive heavy rainfall.
While several areas in the southern districts have been lashed by rains for the past two days, the city and suburbs were experiencing moderate rains since last night.
Nannilam in Tiruvarur district received maximum rainfall of 14 cm in the last 24 hours ended 8.30 AM today.
(REOPENS MDS 18)
Meanwhile, owing to heavy rain, the government said it has set up a call centre to address rain-related grievances.
"For all kinds of rain related grievances, the Control Room No 1070 may be contacted," an official release from the Commissioner of Revenue Administration said.
At Pamban near Rameswaram, officials hoisted Storm warning cone (Number One) today. They said storm warning cone 3 has been hoisted at Cuddalore.
The sea in Pamban was very rough and high waves battered the coastal villages but not much damage has been reported.
