Chennai: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has downgraded the Red alert for Chennai and nearby districts to an Orange alert, indicating that moderate rains are expected in the area. However, heavy rainfall is still predicted for northern Tamil Nadu.

In its statement, the RMC noted that a depression over the Bay of Bengal is moving at a speed of 17 km/h and is currently located about 190 km southeast of Chennai and 270 km southeast of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. Rainfall is expected to persist across many parts of Tamil Nadu on Thursday and Friday, though there may be breaks in the rain in some regions.

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The northeast monsoon arrived in Tamil Nadu on Monday night, following the end of the southwest monsoon. As a result, several areas in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur districts experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall on Thursday, causing waterlogging and stagnant water.

To address potential flooding, the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have deployed personnel in vulnerable areas. A total of ten NDRF teams and sixteen SDRF teams are now active in various districts expected to receive significant rainfall.

Despite the downgrade to an Orange alert, the state government has emphasised that it remains fully prepared for any emergencies. Weather alerts have been sent to approximately 8.5 million mobile phone users through the Common Alert Protocol. Additionally, the revenue department has established 5,147 relief centres across Tamil Nadu, including 300 in Chennai.

The state government has assigned 50 IAS officers to oversee relief operations. From the 249 complaints received by the State Emergency Operations Centre, 215 have already been resolved.

Since October 1, Tamil Nadu has recorded 10.52 cm of rainfall, which is 68 percent above the usual amount. In the last 24 hours, the state averaged 2.2 cm of rain, while Chennai received an average of 6.5 cm.

Chennai's reservoirs have seen a significant inflow due to the increased rainfall in the catchment areas. The northeast monsoon has set in five days ahead of its typical onset date of October 20, although the weather department notes that the monsoon can arrive as much as nine days before or after this expected date.

Agency