India News | Heavy Rains Lash Chennai; Many Roads Inundated

Chennai, Oct 29 (PTI) Heavy rains lashed the city early on Thursday, the first spell since the onset of the North East monsoon in the state on October 28, leading to inundation of several roads and slowing down traffic in many localities.

The showers that started late last night continued till morning, leading to water logging at several locations.

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Stretches of the arterial Anna Salai came under water, while three other key roads were inundated.

This slowed down traffic and several two-wheeler riders had to push their bikes through sheets of water after their vehicles stopped.

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Rainwater entered some houses inlow lyinglocations like Palavakkam.

Greater Chennai Corporation said workers pumped outrain water from inundated roads and 20 plus subways in the city.

"The rainwater was pumped out within two hours though the rainfall was heavy," a GCC statement said, adding water stagnation was present in only about 10 locations and it was being attended to.

The rainfall was heavy in some localities, including Mylapore, which received 18 cm.

Other areas, including Kotturpuram, received similar showers, (14 cm Anna University) and Red Hills on the northern periphery experienced 13 cm rains, a Met office bulletin said.

However, several other areas like MGR Nagar (5 cm) receivedmoderate and mild rains.

Several areas falling under nearby Chengelpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, including Tambaram, Uthukottai and Mamallapuram, received relatively low rainfall (2 cm), while other areas in these districts like Tiruporur and Sriperumbudur saw a precipitation of one cm.

GCC said despite the heavy rainfall in Mylapore,there was 'no water stagnation' and rain waterreached the Sri Kapaleeswarar temple tank in view of the robust storm water drain network.

Also, spots like those in Vadapalani that used to witness water stagnation during monsoon are free of inundation, the civic body said.

Till morning, two trees were uprooted and these were cleared.

A tree fell on a car at Royapettahdamaging the vehicle.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), N Kannan said movement of traffic slowed down in view of water stagnation due to the overnight rains.

"However, traffic did not come to a complete halt.

We made diversions in a few locations, considering water stagnation," he said, adding that the full strength of 3,000 traffic personnel in addition to those from the Armed Reserve have been deployed.

About 120 spots, identified in the city as vulnerable to water logging, were being monitored by patrolling teams, he said.

Rainwater has been pumped out of 20 plus subways and vehicle movement has been normalised, Kannan said.

He advised road users to exercise caution taking into account slippery pathways and chances of skidding. PTI

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)