Climate Change

Rains could intensify further in flood-hit Tamil Nadu, Puducherry

15 of 32 Tamil Nadu’s districts received more than 10 times the normal rainfall on December 1

 
By Akshit Sangomla
Published: Monday 02 December 2019
Photo: Shweta Singh @Shwetasingh800 / Twitter

Photo: Shweta Singh @Shwetasingh800 / Twitter
Heavy rainfall in the past few days has flooded several regions of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Seventeen people were killed in a single house collapse in Coimbatore due to heavy rainfall. The situation might worsen due to a low-pressure area in the Arabian Sea, which can intensify the already active North East Monsoon brought in by the North Easterly winds.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the low-pressure area is going to intensify further in the next few days, transforming into a depression but its track will take it away from the Indian mainland into the East Central Arabian Sea where it is likely to dissipate.

There are three other active low-pressure areas in the Indian Ocean region formed off the East African coast. One of these might bring heavy rainfall to the already flood-affected Horn of Africa region, especially Somalia and Djibouti, in the next few days.

The IMD has already issued advisories to fisher folks going into the Arabian Sea. The low-pressure system will also bring heavy downpours to Lakshadweep, the Cape Comorin area, Kerala and Karnataka coasts.

On December 1, Tamil Nadu received 1,169 per cent more rainfall than normal. Similarly, Puducherry received 851 per cent more rainfall than normal.

Cuddalore received the highest absolute rainfall of 102.2 mm, which is almost 16 times the normal. Sivaganga and Pudukottai districts received 29 and 27 times the normal rainfall. In fact, 15 out of 32 Tamil Nadu’s districts received more than 10 times the normal rainfall. Only Erode district received sparse rainfall but the IMD has issued flood warning for the district in the coming days.

The rains in the last two days came after a relatively dry spell in the past week in which Tamil Nadu had received 43 per cent less rainfall than normal. In the past two months, the state has received 8 per cent more rainfall than normal. Puducherry city and Karaikal received 13 and 5 times more than normal rainfall on December 1. 

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