Chennai, Nov 17 (BPNS)

While Chennai and adjoining districts are slowly limping back to normalcy after the heavy downpour and inundation caused thereby, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted another round of heavy rains on Wednesday and Thursday.

The IMD has issued a Red alert for Chennai and adjoining districts of Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu on Thursday with extreme rainfall likely in these areas. The weather department has warned that extremely heavy rainfalls would lead to 20.4 cm of rain in some places.

Weathermen have warned that a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal with an associated cyclonic circulation is persisting in the area bringing in rains. This may move westwards and reach west-central and southwest Bay of Bengal. This could bring rains off South Andhra Pradesh and North Tamil Nadu coasts on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Chennai and adjoining districts received moderate to heavy rains on Wednesday afternoon and the atmosphere is totally cloudy. Saravanakumar, an IT professional with a private firm in OMR while speaking to IANS said,” We are slowly recovering from the earlier spell of rains and still our neighbourhood at Adayar is in water. Today since afternoon the atmosphere is cloudy and it is dark over here. It could be another major downpour in Chennai and adjoining areas.”

The IMD has also predicted that by Wednesday night rains could be heavy to extreme in some parts of Chennai and adjoining districts and might extend up to Puducherry.

Fire and rescue persons, Police, Health Department, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have geared up for any eventuality.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has conducted a meeting of high officials including Chief Secretary to ascertain on the ground level situation in Chennai and adjoining areas if rain lashes heavily.