Chennai: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has issued a yellow alert from Tuesday, November 12, to November 15, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in Chennai and 15 other districts of Tamil Nadu. A low-pressure system formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal on Monday is expected to bring these rains, particularly impacting coastal areas. According to the RMC, the low-pressure area has developed due to cyclonic circulation up to 5.8 km above sea level and is tilting southwestward, likely heading toward the Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka coasts over the next two days.


Yellow alert in THESE districts


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The RMC warns of heavy rain with thunderstorms in districts such as Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Villupuram, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Sivaganga, and Thoothukudi. On November 14 and 15, additional districts including Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Coimbatore, The Nilgiris, and Kanyakumari are expected to experience heavy rainfall due to this system.


Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea until Sunday, November 17, as wind speeds along the Tamil Nadu coast and Gulf of Mannar could reach 35-45 km/h, with gusts up to 55 km/h, creating dangerous conditions.


Heavy downpours in the region


Since the start of the northeast monsoon on October 17, Tamil Nadu has recorded 247 mm of rainfall, which is 13% above the normal level. Coimbatore recorded the highest rainfall, receiving 410 mm—102% above average. Meanwhile, water levels in rivers and reservoirs have risen due to continuous rain. Officials have warned the public to avoid riverbanks and stay away from water bodies like the Kumbakkarai Waterfalls, where flooding and strong currents are possible due to overflowing dams and heavy downpours.


School closed in Chennai


Chennai District Collector, Rashmi Siddharth Zagade, has declared a holiday for all schools in Chennai today in response to the forecast of heavy rainfall across the state. The decision follows an alert from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which predicted severe rain in various parts of Tamil Nadu.


A week ago, several areas in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, faced significant waterlogging following heavy rains in the region. Localities such as Thitagudi, Pradyantheru, and Mettutheru were impacted, disrupting traffic. The heavy rainfall on November 3 was caused by a deep cyclonic circulation over the Gulf of Mannar in South Peninsular India.