I am no
weatherman but a simple blogger – after such continuous rains from almost 6 pm
last night, ventured out this morning to see that Triplicane is normal - cattle roaming, people waiting for milk,
buses running, no water stagnation (at least in main roads as I could see) –
yet no denial of the fact that the city has received almost 15 cm in past 10
hours or so.
Kairavini pushkarini at Thiruvallikkeni, the temple pond of Sri
Parthasarathi swami has received copious inflow – though some inlets are not
proper. First thank sanitary workers
like this man, who are out never thinking of self, but of cleaning !
The satellite map
is a bit worrying – there is low
pressure area over Sri Lanka and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal – weather
report states that the associated cyclonic circulation extending upto 5.8 km
above mean sea level also persistsing. Not so near, the low
pressure area over Gulf of Siam and adjoining Malay Peninsula coast persists and
could emerge
into Andaman Sea during next 48 hour. Forecasts vary as to the level of
strengthening of the 'low,' of which the IMD update does not give any
indication. Thai Met Department had pointed to a depression within its
territorial waters. The IMD also said that the persisting cyclonic circulation
over Sri Lanka and the Gulf of Mannar has grown its reach to the rear to bring
the South-West Bay of Bengal under its footprint. The US Climate Prediction centre
records that this 'low' could in turn
induce the incoming 'low' from the Andaman Sea to merge with it and approach
the Tamil Nadu/Andhra Pradesh coast.
We may never be
able to interpret the reports – though this latest one @ 0630 am this morning
shows lots of clouds. On factual side, rain
lashed the city for several hours from 6 p.m. on Thursday throwing normal life
out of gear. It caused flooding on many roads -subways were closed for traffic
and motorists had to struggle with poor visibility. Following a rain forecast
for Friday, the Collectors of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram have
declared a holiday for schools.
The rain affected
the movement of several flights at Chennai airport and slowed down local trains
on the Chennai Beach-Tambaram route; MRTS is operating this morning. Though widespread rains had been forecast for
Tamilnadu, it was a bit warmer in the afternoon and there was sun shine too but
around 3 pm there were sharp showers on 2.11.2017 – thence continuous heavy
rains from around 6 pm troubling the public making difficult to return
back. A TV channel puts that Velachery
recorded 19 cm of rains !
Now with slight
drizzle (@ around 07.30 am on 3.11.2017) it appears that mighty show has come
to an end. We may get to hear stories of hardship, waterlogging, people
experiencing trouble, property losses and more – hope we don’t .. media is trying to paint it as a
grim reminder of 2015 Chennai floods.
From a limited perspective, Triplicane appears as normal though am apprehensive of passing through some areas like Royapettah / Mirsahibpet – on the day when torrential rain lashed the city throwing normal life completely out of gear, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami assigned Ministers and officials zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation and Kancheepuram districts to coordinate relief operations. At a review meeting at the Secretariat @ late hours on Thursday, the Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure relief operations and preparatory efforts efficiently on a war footing. In addition to IAS officers, the 15 zones of the Corporation will be supervised by Ministers, he said. With regards – S. Sampathkumar
3rd Nov. 2017.
