Chennai: Heavy rain continued to lash the Delta districts of Tamil Nadu, including Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam on Thursday.
District Collectors have issued a warning, advising the public against entering water bodies for bathing, washing clothes, or swimming.
Parents have also been urged to prevent children from playing in waterlogged areas and to avoid standing under trees or in open spaces during thunderstorms.
Nagapattinam district recorded significant rainfall with Kodiyakarai receiving 20 mm, followed by Vedaranyam, Tirupoondi, Thirukuvalai, and Thalaignayer, each reporting 10 mm.
Several low-lying areas, such as Sebastian Nagar and Sivasakthi Nagar in Velankanni, and Valliammai Nagar and Gomathi Nagar in Nagore, have experienced flooding.
The Nagapattinam district administration has established a 24-hour control room with a toll-free helpline (04365-1077) to assist with rain-related emergencies.
Coastal areas were witnessing rough seas, with waves receding a few metres in Nagapattinam’s Vedaranyam.
Fishermen have been advised to stay ashore, and all mechanised and motorised boats remain docked.
In Cuddalore, the sea was rough, with waves rising over 10 feet, significantly higher than the usual 2 feet.
Coastal areas such as Thazhanguda, Devanampattinam, Singarathoppu, and Sothikuppam have been affected.
The Cuddalore Port has raised Cyclone Warning Signal Number 3 due to strong winds and heavy rain.
Rescue teams, including 270 personnel, swimmers, and equipment, were on standby at 16 fire stations across the district.
The Fire Department has prepared rescue boats, safety gear, ropes, wood-cutting machines, and generator-powered lights for emergencies.
Additionally, the Cuddalore district administration has set up 28 cyclone shelters, 14 multi-purpose safety centres, and 191 temporary relief camps. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force (TNDRF), comprising 30 and 25 personnel respectively, are also on standby.
All departments, including Revenue, Rural Development, Highways, Electricity, Public Works, Fire Services, and Police, have been directed to implement precautionary measures.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has issued yellow and orange alerts for several districts of Tamil Nadu.
A yellow alert has been issued for Chennai and surrounding districts, while an orange alert has been issued for the Delta districts, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall. Delta districts, including Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai, may experience extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 24.4 cm on Thursday, according to the weather department.
Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Puducherry were likely to receive intense rainfall of up to 24 cm in isolated places.
Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam are also expected to experience heavy rainfall.
The RMC has forecast heavy rain over the coastal regions and northern Tamil Nadu from November 29 to December 2. Strong winds, gusting up to 65 km per hour, are likely to affect the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal on November 28.
Cyclone Fengal brewing over the Bay of Bengal was predicted to move toward the Tamil Nadu coast, bringing heavy downpours to the region until December 1
–IANS
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