Devotees Flock To Rameswaram Temple Despite Heavy Rain In TN On Diwali; Chennai Hit By Torrential Downpour
Visuals circulating on social media showed inundated streets and waterlogged runways at Chennai airport. Among the areas worst affected were Velachery, Medavakkam, Pallikaranai, and Neelankarai.
Devotees thronged the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram on Monday morning to mark Diwali, even as torrential rain lashed parts of Tamil Nadu. In Chennai, celebrations began under grey skies, with two days of continuous downpour triggering widespread waterlogging and severe travel disruptions.
Heavy Rain Disrupts Life In Chennai
Visuals circulating on social media showed inundated streets and waterlogged runways at Chennai airport. Among the areas worst affected were Velachery, Medavakkam, Pallikaranai, and Neelankarai along the East Coast Road (ECR).
The intense downpour led to flooding on key arterial roads, slowing traffic and disrupting normal life. Residents in several low-lying neighbourhoods reported overflowing drains and knee-deep water, while authorities urged caution as intermittent showers were expected to persist through the day.
IMD Forecasts Continued Rainfall
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), moderate rain with thunderstorms is likely over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Puducherry, Karaikal, and adjoining districts in the next few hours. The department has also predicted continued rainfall across coastal Tamil Nadu through October 22.
Train Services Halted In Nilgiris After Landslides
In the Nilgiris, train services on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) were suspended after multiple landslides blocked tracks between Kallar and Coonoor. The Southern Railway reported that “earth slips” and fallen trees had obstructed movement on the route.
Services of three trains including Mettupalayam–Udagamandalam (Train Nos. 56136 and 06171) and Udagamandalam–Mettupalayam (Train No. 56137), were cancelled on October 19.
Coastal And Delta Districts Affected
Heavy showers pounded several coastal and delta regions, including Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, and Villupuram, since Sunday.
VIDEO | Tamil Nadu: Devotees visit Rameswaram Temple on the occasion Diwali amid heavy rain.
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Despite the downpour, markets in Thoothukudi remained open, though the district administration declared a holiday for schools due to flooding.
In Cuddalore, officials from the Department of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare advised fishermen against venturing into the sea, instructing all mechanised boats and catamarans to remain docked until further notice.
Chief Minister Reviews Preparedness
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin reviewed the rain situation on Sunday, directing officials to move residents from low-lying and coastal regions to safer areas.
“The affected areas have not faced any major damages so far. As per IMD’s forecast, heavy rainfall is expected on October 21 and 22. Precautionary measures have been taken, and relief camps are ready if required. Most harvested paddy has already been safely stored,” he told news agency ANI.
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has ramped up flood-preparedness measures, increasing the number of relief centres from 116 to 215 across the city.
Low-Pressure System Likely To Intensify
Earlier, the IMD announced that a low-pressure area was forming over the southeast Bay of Bengal and is expected to move west-northwestward, gradually intensifying into a deep depression. The system is likely to bring further widespread rainfall across Tamil Nadu’s coastal belt in the coming days.
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