The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for several delta districts in Tamil Nadu as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensifies and approaches the state. Coastal districts including Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu are expected to experience heavy rainfall on January 10 and 11, while interior districts may witness isolated thunderstorms, lightning, and localized downpours.
According to the IMD, the system is moving northwest at approximately 15 kmph and is projected to cross northern Sri Lanka before making landfall along Tamil Nadu’s coast. Delta districts, notably Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, and Karaikal, may see rainfall of 12–20 cm over 24 hours, posing risks to low-lying areas, agriculture, and urban drainage networks.Urban planners and civic authorities are closely monitoring the situation, highlighting the challenges of heavy rainfall in densely populated and low-elevation zones. In Chennai, which frequently experiences waterlogging during monsoonal events, even moderate precipitation can disrupt traffic, impede public transport, and strain stormwater management systems. Officials have advised residents to avoid non-essential travel, particularly near flood-prone stretches, while municipal corporations have been urged to pre-position emergency response teams.
The IMD has also forecast squally conditions along the Tamil Nadu coast, the Gulf of Mannar, and the Comorin area, with sustained winds of 45–55 kmph and gusts up to 65 kmph. Sea conditions are expected to be rough on January 9 and 10, prompting advisories for fishermen to remain ashore and avoid navigation in the southeast and southwest Bay of Bengal, the adjoining East Indian Ocean, and coastal waters off Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. A high wave warning has been issued for Nagapattinam and Karaikal, with wave heights estimated between 2.7 and 3.1 metres.From a climate resilience perspective, the alert underscores the ongoing need for urban areas and coastal communities to strengthen early warning systems, drainage infrastructure, and emergency preparedness. As deep depressions in the Bay of Bengal are projected to become more frequent and intense due to shifting climate patterns, cities like Chennai face heightened pressure to adapt infrastructure and emergency protocols.
For residents, the immediate measures include limiting travel during peak rainfall, securing vulnerable property, monitoring official bulletins, and adhering to advisories issued by local authorities and the IMD. Authorities emphasise that timely preparation can mitigate both human and economic losses during severe weather events.
