Widespread rain batters TN, Mettur Dam reaches full capacity, schools, colleges shut

Chennai: Rain continued to batter Tamil Nadu, causing a sharp rise in the water levels of the reservoirs and in Chennai, tree branches fell due to overnight downpour.

The Mettur Dam, the largest reservoir in the state, reached its Full Reservoir Level (FRL).

The widespread rain forced the administration in several districts to declare a holiday for schools and colleges on Wednesday. Apart from the intermittent spells of heavy rain in Chennai, widespread showers thrashed the coastal districts.

Chief Minister M K Stalin, who chaired a meeting of officials to review the preparedness for the Northeast Monsoon in the wake of heavy rain forecast by the IMD, directed the officials to be vigilant and remain on the field for rescue and relief activities.

Heavy rains were reported from Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and also Tuticorin districts. The IMD has issued a red alert for parts of Tamil Nadu owing to the formation of a low pressure over the Bay of Bengal that is set to intensify into a deep depression.

A 'red alert' indicates "heavy to extremely heavy" rainfall of over 20 cm in 24 hours.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has already readied teams equipped with pumps and power saws to drain water and remove uprooted trees.

According to police, tree branches broke and fell across Rathinamal Street in Kodambakkam, briefly disrupting traffic. Swift action was taken by the Greater Chennai Traffic Police to clear the obstruction, and the traffic was restored, an official said.

According to a source in the Water Resources Department, the Mettur dam (Stanley reservoir) in Salem district reached its FRL of 120 feet following heavy rain, and it continued to receive a huge inflow of 36,484 cusecs (Cubic feet per second) of water. About 35,741 cusecs of water is being discharged from the dam which received a rainfall of 10.6 mm.

In Chennai, the 35 feet-high Poondi reservoir has attained 78.49 per cent water level, while Cholavaram with an FRL of 18.86 feet has 42.37 per cent water. The 21.2-feet Red Hills (Puzhal lake) is brimming with 83.18 per cent water and the 24-feet high Chembarambakkam dam has 77.23 per cent water.

The water level in Veeranam and Thervoy Kandigai account for 77.23 per cent and 86 per cent against their capacities of 24 feet and 36.6 feet, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Chennai-Hyderabad flight and Malaysian Airlines Fight from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai were cancelled due to insufficient number of passengers, a source at the airport said.