Heavy rains claim at least 100 lives in Tamil Nadu, normal life disrupted
Heavy rains across Tamil Nadu are estimated to have killed at least 100 people, as of Sunday, as most parts of the state remained inundated, including Chennai. On Monday, trains were running late, with many diverted to stations other than Chennai. Main roads and subways in the state capital are still waterlogged, snarling traffic across the city.
Many IT companies including Cognizant, Wipro and Tech Mahindra are closed; city officials have announced a holiday for all educational institutions in Chennai. A number of examinations have also been rescheduled. While rain has been predicted to be strong for next three days, reports say the low pressure formation is now moving northwards towards Andhra Pradesh, which is expected to reduce the intensity in Tamil Nadu. According to Skymetweather, a website providing weather updates in the country, the city has recorded 268 mm rain in 21 hours. According to the India Meteorological Department, Chennai, issued on Sunday night, widespread heavy to very heavy rain with isolated extremely heavy rain fall is expected in
northern part of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Isolated and heavy to very heavy rain has been forecast for the rest of the state. Strong squalls reaching 40-50 kmph, occasionally gusting to 60 kmph, is likely to prevail over north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and Nellore district of south coastal Andhra Pradesh during the next 48 hours, said the forecast released at 8.30 pm Sunday evening. It also forecast that isolated heavy to very heavy rain would continue in the region on Tuesday also. Cognizant has declared a holiday for its offices in Chennai on Monday for employees working on general shift. This is not applicable to those employees working in critical client deliverable as well as 24X7 support, said a source.
Article Source : Business Standard