Chennai was placed under a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall on Sunday, after Parry’s Corner recorded 36 cm of rain in the 24 hours ending 8.30 am, while nearby Kathivakkam received 34 cm, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai.
The alert covered the 24-hour period from Sunday afternoon and indicated the possibility of rainfall exceeding 20 cm. The RMC issued orange alerts for neighbouring Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, as well as the western districts of Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Theni, where very heavy rainfall above 11 cm was forecast.
The warning came as the northeast monsoon remained vigorous over Tamil Nadu. In its bulletin issued at 2.30 pm on Sunday, the RMC said rainfall had occurred at most places across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during the preceding 24 hours. It also said an upper-air cyclonic circulation over north Tamil Nadu and adjoining south coastal Andhra Pradesh had become less marked.
The rainfall produced the first heavy spell of the northeast monsoon across Chennai and its neighbouring districts. The intensity tested the city’s drainage and emergency response systems, particularly in low-lying areas and along major transport routes.
In a release, the Greater Chennai Corporation said more than 30 cm of rain had fallen in parts of the metropolis but claimed that proactive field operations, round-the-clock rescue efforts and coordination between agencies had helped clear major thoroughfares and subways. The corporation said no casualties or major accidents had been reported.
All 22 subways in Chennai were cleared of waterlogging and reopened to traffic by 6 am on Sunday, according to the civic body. Rainwater was also reported to have been cleared from all major bus routes and most streets, while pumping operations continued in a few remaining low-lying pockets.
Emergency teams were deployed in vulnerable locations as the city managed the rainfall. One team of the National Disaster Response Force and four teams of the Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force were operating on the ground. The corporation also established nine relief centres and distributed food to residents in low-lying areas.
The response required coordination between the civic administration, disaster-response agencies and field teams at a time when intense rainfall affected multiple districts around Chennai. The reopening of subways and clearance of bus routes were key operational steps because these locations can quickly disrupt daily travel when waterlogging persists.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Minister for Public Works and Youth Welfare and Sports Development Aadhav Arjuna separately visited the Ripon Building, the headquarters of the Greater Chennai Corporation, following the heavy rain and red alert. During his visit, Arjuna met NDRF and TNDRF personnel, held consultations and issued directions on rescue and relief operations.
The RMC’s red-alert period covered the 24 hours from Sunday afternoon. Civic pumping operations and field-level monitoring were expected to continue in the remaining waterlogged areas as emergency agencies responded to the rainfall across Chennai and its adjoining districts.
