Chennai: After a hiatus of six years, heavy to very heavy overnight rains pounded Chennai and its suburbs, leading to water-logging everywhere, with the deluge entering houses in low lying areas on Sunday and the sluice gates of three reservoirs here being opened to release surplus water.
Since the start of the Northeast monsoon in October, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry regions have experienced about 43 per cent excess rainfall, a weather official said.
From Saturday morning, Chennai and several suburbs in Chengelpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts witnessed intermittent rains and the showers became non-stop since last night. The rainfall continued till Sunday, turning out to be one of the heaviest in recent years.
Deputy Director General of Meteorology, S Balachandran said the all time record of highest rain was 45 CM in 1976. Following that in 1985, Chennai had recorded 25 CM and 33 CM rainfall on two different dates. Subsequently, in 2015, the city experienced 25 CM rainfall and now the city has recorded close to that level, he told PTI.
Such showers over the past were recorded in November during the Northeast monsoon. "We have received 43 per cent more showers," he added.
The Kamarajar Salai point (DGP Office on the Marina beachfront) near the Tamil Nadu Secretariat recorded the highest of 23 CM and suburban Ennore in north Chennai, 10 cm.
Some suburban locations, including areas covered in nearby Tiruvallur district received between 3 CM (Poondi and RK Pet) and 9 CM (Cholavaram). The IMD gave a 'red' category warning, indicating heavy rains in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry on Sunday.
Surplus water from three reservoirs, (Poondi, Chembarambakkam, and Puzhal that serve the drinking water needs of the city) was meanwhile released in a phased manner.