Chennai, Oct 16 (PTI) Rains ceased on Wednesday in most parts of northern Tamil Nadu including Chennai, bringing respite to people, while Chief Minister M K Stalin said water stagnation has been cleared in most places.
Stalin announced that on October 16 and 17, food is being served free of cost in Amma canteens in Chennai to support poor and ordinary people.
With the rains ceasing, traffic flow in city roads returned to normalcy and there was no disruptions in public transport services.
The Regional Meteorological Centre listed places that recorded extremely heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu between 8.30 am on October 15 and 8.30 am on October 16.
It includes 30 cm and 28 cm at Cholavaram and Red Hills (Tiruvallur district and on the outskirts of Chennai) respectively.
Kathivakkam and Manali in Chennai recorded 23 and 21 cm.
For the same period, Greater Chennai Corporation said the average rainfall recorded in city areas was 13.1 cm and as many as 77 fallen trees were cleared and traffic flow is normal in all the 22 subways.
Using 1,223 motors, water stagnation was pumped out from 501 out of 542 locations and work is continuing in the rest of the places.
The CM in a post on ‘X’ said precautionary action was taken with the help of people and added that in a vast majority of places waterlogging has been cleared.
The field work will continue with full vigour till water stagnation is fully cleared.
Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, alongwith state ministers, inspected reservoirs and lakes and reviewed rain-related work. He later distributed welfare assistance to the needy people.
In view of the rains, reservoirs that cater to the city’s water needs filled up quickly.
The Cholavaram reservoir in Tiruvallur district received 302.6 mm rainfall and Redhills received 279.2 mm rain.
The Greater Chennai Corporation said it housed people living in low lying areas in relief centres and extended all support, including food, to 11,84,410 people.
The RMC, in a bulletin issued at 20.30 hours on October 16 said that the depression over Bay of Bengal is about 190 km east-southeast of Chennai, 250 km from Puducherry and 270 km away from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh.
It is likely to cross north Tamil Nadu-South Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Nellore, close to north of Chennai on October 17 early morning.
Thereafter, it is very likely to weaken into a well marked low pressure area, by Thursday forenoon, over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu, the RMC added.
The GCC said disaster response forces are, however, are on the standby.
Heavy rains lashed Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu on October 15 and by late night it completely ceased. The rains commenced late night on October 14. PTI VGN JSP VGN ROH
