Chennai: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, as a low-pressure system is expected to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal between October 21 and 24.

According to the RMC, a low-pressure area currently persists over the southeast Arabian Sea, while an upper-air circulation dominates the southern Andaman Sea and the adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal. The system is expected to intensify into a low-pressure area within 24 hours and move west-northwestward, strengthening further over the southwest and west-central Bay of Bengal in the next 48 hours.

Orange Alert

October 21: Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, and Cuddalore.

Additional districts expecting heavy rain include Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Ariyalur, Perambalur, and Sivaganga.

October 22: Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Ranipet, and Tiruvannamalai, with heavy rain forecast in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Tirupattur.

October 23: Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, and Vellore, while Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Tirupattur.

October 24: Tirupattur, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Erode, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, and Krishnagiri.

In Chennai, skies will remain mostly cloudy, with moderate to heavy rain and possible thunderstorms in several areas.

Officials have urged residents in low-lying areas to stay alert and avoid waterlogged zones, as continuous rainfall may trigger flooding in parts of northern Tamil Nadu and the Delta region in the coming days.

IANS