48 people have died in rain-related incidents in the state since November 9, most of them from Cuddalore.
, trains and flights were delayed and schools and colleges were closed on Friday as heavy rain lashed the city for the fifth straight day, bringing it to a virtual standstill.
No relief is expected anytime soon. The MeT department has warned of very heavy showers in the city in the next 24 hours. The formation of a new trough of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, it has said, could also lead to heavy rain in Kancheepuram and Vellore districts.
55 people have died in rain-related incidents in the state in the last five days, most of them from Cuddalore. Seven deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours.
The city has received 14.9 cm of rainfall since last night. Incessant rain has caused water-logging in Velacherey, Anna Nagar, and T Nagar. Rail tracks have also been submerged, resulting in delays in arrival and departure of trains at the Chennai Central Station. Only five out of nine trains that were scheduled to leave the station were able to depart to their destinations this morning, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. As many as 26 flights were delayed.
Schools and colleges are shut in the city following the Met department's forecast. This is the third time that a holiday has been declared for educational institutions in the city since November 9, when a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal crossed near the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast, resulting in heavy rain and consequent flood in many parts of the state. Cuddalore district, 180 kms from Chennai, was the worst hit.
Office-goers had a harrowing time this morning as they waded through knee-deep and waist-deep water in many areas. Hassled residents posted pictures of waterlogged roads on Twitter, making #chennaiRains a top trend this morning on the micro-blogging site.
"When chennai has more water ways than Venice and more waves on the roads compared to Bay of Bengal. #chennairains," posted @vasudevan_k.
"Don't know about flying cars but we need hover floating convertibles in Chennai soon ... #chennairains," wrote @amdbabu.