India: NDRF deployed in Chennai and adjoining regions after cyclone, heavy rain warning

As a measure of precaution, teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the southern Indian city of Chennai and its adjoining districts, in view of a brewing cyclone in the Bay of Bengal and the very heavy rains it could bring. According to the NRDF, fiveteams of 25 personnel each have been deployed as follows - one team in Chennai, two teams in Chengalpattu district and two teams in Villupuram district. The teams are carrying flood rescue equipment, tree-cutting chainsaws, collapsed structure search and rescue kits, communications gear etc. This comes after the city and adjoining regions were lashed by around 10 cms of rainfall on Wednesday, thereby causing waterlogging, immense build-up of vehicular traffic and inconvenience to commuters.

Chennai has been witnessing significant amounts of rainfall since Wednesday (Nov 29) and as per forecasts, the rainfall is only set to intensify over the weekend. According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, under the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), a prevailing low-pressure area over the south Andaman Sea and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal, evolved into a well-marked low-pressure areaon Wednesday. On Thursday (Nov 30), it is likely to move north-northwest and concentrate into a depression. Typically, a low-pressure area is where the atmospheric pressure is lesser than the surrounding regions. Low-pressure areas are often associated with cloudy skies, windy conditions, rains and storms.

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According to the RMC, this evolving weather system is likely to intensify into a cyclonearound the weekend. In November, the Northeast monsoon has been active over the Tamil Nadu coast and yielding good rains. Given that the cyclone is expected to form around the weekend, heavy to very heavy rainfall has been forecast for Chennai and adjoining districts for Saturday and Sunday. The impact of this weather system could also bring heavy rains to other coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. As per the forecast, the heavy to very heavy rainfall could continue on Monday as well.

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In 2023, Chennai city and adjoining districts received considerable rainfall even during the non-monsoon months. This region usually gets the maximum share of rainfall during the October-December Northeast monsoon. Of the reservoirs that supply water to Chennai, three reservoirs are at around 90 per cent storage capacity. As of Thursday, the Puzhal reservoir is at 93.15 per cent storage level, the Thervoy Kandigai reservoir is at 93 per centand the Chembarambakkam reservoir is at 89.33 per cent, based on data from the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB). The Chembarambakkam reservoir outlet feeds into the Adyar river that meanders through Chennai and authorities have started gradually releasing water from the reservoir, as a measure of abundant precaution. On Wednesday, water from the Chembarambakkam reservoir was being let out into the Adyar River at a rate of 1000 cusecs(1000 cubic feet per second) and this was increased to 6000 cusecs on Thursday.