Parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are expected to witness very heavy rainfall on November 10 and 11 which may further inundate roads and low-lying areas, and cause riverine flooding in some catchment areas.
The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Chennai and two neighbouring districts indicating that the heavy rainfall will continue. “A cyclonic circulation is located over the Bay of Bengal, which will form into a depression is set to bring in heavy spells of rain over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Kerala during the next five days,” the IMD said. The unseasonal rains will damage the standing paddy crops and ongoing rabi seasons.
“Under its influence, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over Tamil Nadu on November 8 and 9 and heavy to very heavy rain at few places with isolated extremely heavy falls are very likely on November 10 and 11. Heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy falls at isolated places are also likely over south coastal Andhra Pradesh during the same period,” the IMD said in a statement.
According to Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of IMD, Tamil Nadu & adjoining south Andhra Pradesh will experience heavy to very heavy rainfall on November 10 and 11 “It will decrease on the 12th when this low-pressure area travels towards the west. The fishermen are advised to return by November 9,” he said.
Rainfall recorded between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm is heavy and between 115.6 and 204.4 is very heavy. Anything above 204.4 mm is considered extremely heavy rainfall. Squally weather with winds gusting up to 60 kmph is predicted over southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal and along and off south Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu coasts and Gulf of Mannar for the next four days. Similar conditions are likely over Southeast Bay of Bengal during the next two days.
Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas, the IMD said. It also warned of localised flooding of roads, inundation and water logging in low-lying areas and closure of underpasses mainly in urban areas. There is a possibility of localised landslides, minor damage to 'kutcha' roads, vulnerable structures and to horticulture and standing crops in some areas.
It may also lead to riverine flooding in some river catchments, the IMD said. The weather office said a depression over east central Arabian Sea has moved west-northwestwards in the last six hours with a speed of 8 kmph and lay centred over East-central Arabian Sea about 840 km west-southwest of Mumbai and 800 km west-southwest of Panjim. It is likely to move nearly westwards and weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area by Tuesday morning. Thereafter it is likely to move west-southwestwards. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas, it said.