Torrential rains lashed Madurai on Friday, causing widespread flooding and traffic disruptions in several parts of the city. The city recorded 9.8 cm of rainfall between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., as reported by MP S. Venkatesan. The intense downpour, which began in the afternoon, led to severe waterlogging, impacting daily activities and halting commutation in many areas.
The heavy rain, which picked up momentum by 3 p.m., led to the accumulation of 4.5 cm of rainfall in just 15 minutes, according to official records, reported The Hindu. The downpour extended into the night with a persistent drizzle.
Major intersections and roads, including Goripalayam, Simmakkal, Nelpettai, Keelavasal, and Yanaikkal Bridge, were flooded, resulting in significant traffic snarls, as reported by The New Indian Express. Commuters faced difficulty navigating through inundated roads, and normal life was thrown out of gear.
Madurai City Commissioner Dinesh Kumar commented on the situation, stating, “Madurai city has been experiencing continuous rainfall over the last 25 days. he average rainfall is 200 millimetres whereas since yesterday we had 260 millimetres of rainfall. There was intense rainfall within a very short period due to which there was a lot of water that was coming into the city."
"But we are closely monitoring the situation. We are providing food drinking water and other medical aid to all the people. As of now, there are nine locations which are inundated," he said.
On Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal regions. However, isolated heavy showers are expected over districts including Theni, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, and Virudhunagar. The IMD has warned of thunderstorms and lightning in certain areas.
Meanwhile, relief measures and monitoring efforts are ongoing to mitigate further disruptions.