Flood alert sounded as heavy rains lash Chennai, parts of Tamil Nadu

Heavy rains on Tuesday pounded several parts of Tamil Nadu with most areas of Chennai witnessing water logging severely disrupting train and bus services as Chief Minister Jayalalithaaa reviewed the situation and deputed ministers to inspect the affected regions.

While Jayalalithaa said services of police, fire and rescue, NDRF and State Disaster Force and Coast Guard are ready to tackle the situation, weather office has cautioned of more showers in the next four days across Tamil Nadu with some regions likely to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall.

"Police, Fire and Rescue, National and State Disaster Forces, Coast Guard have been kept ready for need-based evacuation of people from flood hit regions," she said in an official release.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the rain related incidents touched 188, according to the state government.

Earlier, she reviewed the situation arising out of heavy rains in districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore and Kanchipuram Districts.

"I have ordered Ministers to inspect the regions experiencing heavy rains since last night," she said.

She also ordered postponement of half-yearly examinations for school children to next month previously slated to be held from December 7.

As a result of the rains, Poondi, Cholavaram, Puzhal and Chembarambakkam reservoirs that feed Chennai have touched 83.8 per cent of its capacity and out of the 14,098 lakes under the PWD in Tamil Nadau 6,791 lakes are full.

"I have ordered officials to take precautionary measures before releasing surplus waters from reservoirs and evacuate people living in low-lying areas," she said.

She also ordered a solatium of Rs four lakh to the kin of each of the four persons who were killed in rain related incidents a few days ago in various parts of the State.

Twelve trains leaving Chennai Egmore were cancelled due to water overflowing on railway tracks between Villupuram -- Tambaram section. Also, eleven trains were diverted.

City and moffusil bus services were severely disrupted and motorists had a tough time as not only arterial roads like Anna Salai and, GST Road were inundated but also many interior roads. Also, many roads were damaged, with several of them caving in inconveniencing motorists.

Schools were closed on Tuesday and will remain shut on Wednesday as well.

"Yesterday's trough of low over south west bay and neighbourhood now lies over Southwest bay off Sri Lanka and North Tamil Nadu coast," S R Ramanan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre told PTI.

More rains would occur across Tamil Nadu with some regions likely to have heavy to very heavy rainfall, he said.

Flight operations also took a hit due to the inclement weather. Airport officials said one flight, which left Colombo this morning, returned.

As Puducherry and its suburbs were also hit by heavy rains, Chief Minister N Rangasamy has sought immediate interim financial assistance of Rs 100 crore from the Centre, to take up relief works.

In a release, Rangasamy said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, urging them to release immediately an interim relief of Rs 100 crore to Puducherry to manage the situation arising out of the current rains.

Rangasamy said he had also pleaded with them to release Rs 70 crore that was due under the relief decided for Puducherry when it was hit by 'cyclone Thane' some years ago.

Puducherry, which was pounded by rains since last night recorded 15.2 cm rain in the last 24 hours ending 0830 hours on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Southern Railway has cancelled 12 trains and diverted 11 others due to heavy rainfall with immediate effect.

The 12 trains that were cancelled include Chennai Egmore-Tiruchendur Express, Chennai Egmore-Rameswaram Express, Chennai Egmore-Pondicherry Express, Chennai Egmore-Tuticorin 'Pearl City' Express, Chennai Egmore-Sengottai 'Pothigai' Express, Chennai Egmore-Rameswaram Express.

Chennai Egmore-Mannargudi 'Mannai' Express, Chennai Egmore-Tiruchirapalli 'Rockfort' Express, Chennai Egmore-Salem Express, Chennai Egmore-Karaikkal 'Kamban' Express, Chennai Egmore-Thanjavur Express, a Southern Railway press release said.

The 11 trains that were diverted include Manduadih-Rameswaram Express, New Delhi-Pondicherry Express, Chennai-Kanniyakumari Express, Nizamuddin-Kanniyakumari 'Tirukkural' Express, Chennai-Trivandrum Express, Chennai-Tirunelveli Express, Chennai-Madurai 'Pandian' Express.

Chennai-Mangalore Express, Tiruchirapalli-Howrah Express, Madurai-Chennai 'Pandian' Express,Tirunelveli-Chennai 'Nellai' Express, the release said.