Floods in Tamil Nadu have led to waterlogging and flooding in several areas till now.
Schools and colleges in seven districts of Tamil Nadu, including state capital Chennai, will be closed today in anticipation of heavy rains. The India Meteorological Department forecasts "very heavy" rainfall in Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts today and "heavy" rainfall in Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi.
Many districts in the state got a respite from rains today amid a "very heavy" rain forecast. Chennai received only up to 6.5 mm of rain till 5:30 pm, Kanniyakumari 4 mm, Nagapattinam 17 mm, Thoothukudi 0.5 mm, Thiruchendur 11 mm, and Kodaikanal 15 mm.
However, Cuddalore received 7 cm and Puducherry 6.6 cm of rain.
A red alert for heavy rainfall was issued for five districts of the state by the weather department two days ago, following which schools and colleges were closed in 22 districts after several areas were flooded.
Incessant rains have battered the state and caused widespread damage to crops, buildings, and roads. It has also led to waterlogging and flooding in several areas till now.
Officials are bracing for waterlogging, severe crop damages, uprooting of trees, damage to cattle, and an increase in water levels in the rivers and lakes following the heavy rainfall warning.
Crops spread over more than 50,000 hectares have been battered by heavy rain in Tamil Nadu till now which received 68 per cent more than the average downpour this monsoon season.
More than 2,300 homes have been damaged due to the heavy rain which has been pounding the state since October. Two-thirds of the state got flooded as the rain peaked with two successive spells in the second week of November.