Chennai, Nov 5 (IANS) An alert has been issued for seven districts of Tamil Nadu as a depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal off the Andhra Pradesh coast continues to influence the state’s weather, bringing heavy rainfall and widespread disruption.

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, said Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Perambalur, Ariyalur, and Tiruchirapalli districts are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours.

The weather system hovering near the Andhra coast has led to moist easterly winds and intense cloud formation across coastal and delta regions.

The RMC has also forecast heavy rainfall on Thursday in Perambalur, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Salem, and Dharmapuri districts. In Chennai, overcast skies and intermittent drizzle marked much of the day, before a sudden spell of heavy rain in the evening caused severe waterlogging and traffic snarls in several parts of the city.

Areas such as Guindy, Meenambakkam, Alwarpet, Nungambakkam, and Koyambedu witnessed sharp showers that disrupted evening traffic as office-goers made their way home. The suburbs bore the brunt of the downpour. Alandur, Pallavaram, Chromepet, Tambaram, and Vandalur saw heavy rain that flooded key stretches of the GST Road. In Perungalathur, traffic came to a standstill as vehicles moved slowly through inundated roads, while at Selaiyur, rainwater stagnation caused motorists major inconvenience.

Further north and west, Poonamallee, Chembarambakkam, Cheneerkupam, and Vellapanthavadi experienced heavy showers, leading to knee-deep water on several stretches. At the Vellapanthavadi Service Road, waterlogging was so severe that over 300 sandbags were placed in front of a lorry showroom to prevent flooding.

In the delta region, Tiruvarur witnessed over an hour of heavy rain accompanied by strong winds in areas like Old Bus Stand, South Road, Vijaya Puram, and Valavakkal.

Farmers expressed anxiety as fresh downpours once again submerged paddy fields that had just been drained and treated after earlier rains.

The RMC has urged residents in coastal and delta districts to remain cautious and avoid waterlogged areas, warning that the depression may continue to trigger moderate to heavy rainfall across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the coming days.

–IANS

aal/dpb