Chennai recorded average rainfall of 70.25 mm in the 24 hours ending 6 am on Wednesday, inundating several parts of the city and prompting authorities to deploy high-capacity pumps as the Greater Chennai Corporation received 1,212 rain-related complaints.
The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecast further heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in Chennai and neighbouring districts. A low-pressure area is also likely to form over the southwest Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu coast, according to the report.
Several parts of southern and central Chennai recorded more than 100 mm of rain. Vadapalani received the highest rainfall at 132.9 mm, followed by Saidapet at 125.2 mm and Alandur at 119.4 mm. Madipakkam recorded 114.6 mm, Maduravoyal 112.5 mm, Valasaravakkam 109.6 mm, Nungambakkam 106.8 mm and Adyar 104.1 mm.
Northern parts of the city recorded comparatively lower rainfall. Ennore received 39 mm, Kargil Nagar 30 mm and Tiruvottiyur 22.8 mm.
The persistent showers led authorities to declare a holiday for schools in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts on Wednesday. The school closure came as civic teams continued responding to waterlogging and other rain-related problems across the metropolitan region.
Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said the civic body had deployed additional teams and high-capacity pumps to remove stagnant water. Three 100-horsepower motors were being used in AGS Colony, which was identified as a major waterlogging hotspot.
The corporation also distributed 6,000 food packets to rain-affected residents in Virugambakkam on Wednesday morning. The reported response included pumping operations and relief distribution as water accumulated in several neighbourhoods.
Residents and civic activists questioned the effectiveness of stormwater drainage and flood-mitigation works, pointing to continued inundation in areas including T. Nagar and the Panagal Park neighbourhood despite substantial expenditure on such infrastructure.
B. Kannan, secretary of the T. Nagar Residents Welfare Association, questioned why T. Nagar continued to face waterlogging despite being among the first areas to receive Smart City works involving expenditure of hundreds of crores. He said the flooding highlighted the need to reassess the effectiveness of the infrastructure works.
Civic activist V. Rama Rao of Nanganallur called for the publication of the Thirupugazh Committee report on flood mitigation. Residents and activists also sought a public consultation to assess the impact of completed works and identify gaps before further rainfall.
The civic body’s pumping and relief operations are continuing as the weather office forecasts additional heavy rain in Chennai and neighbouring districts.
