Chennai Braces for Extreme Rainfall as Cyclone Dithwa Weakens: Schools Closed and Emergency Measures Activated

As a precautionary measure, district authorities have announced a rain holiday for educational institutions tomorrow.

Chennai:

Despite Cyclone Dithwa dissipating without causing significant damage along the coastlines of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh, the meteorological department has issued warnings that the resulting deep depression may trigger isolated extremely heavy rainfall across Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Ranipet districts.

The weather system is currently moving parallel to Tamil Nadu's coast, approximately 50 km from the shoreline, heading toward south Andhra Pradesh. Chennai's Nungambakkam area has already recorded 9 cm of precipitation within just 11 hours, indicating the beginning of what could be another challenging weather event for the city.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has stated that the city is "fully prepared" to manage another extended period of rainfall. Officials have indicated that 215 relief centers have been established throughout Chennai, each stocked with food, essential provisions, and basic medical assistance. Additionally, 111 community kitchens have been activated to provide hot meals should residents need evacuation to shelters.

The Corporation has positioned over 700 pumps, including high-capacity 100 HP motors and portable units, across known flood-susceptible areas to reduce water accumulation. Furthermore, teams comprising more than 350 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) have been deployed across vulnerable zones for emergency situations.

Nearly 480 vehicles have been mobilized by the civic body, including tree-cutting units, mechanized saws, rescue boats, and power-saw-equipped rapid response teams, to address complaints regarding fallen trees, flooding, and disruptions. According to the GCC, zonal teams and field volunteers are operating continuously to handle distress calls and drainage issues.

As a preventive measure, district administrations have declared a rain holiday tomorrow for schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu, citing the alert for extremely heavy rainfall.

Despite the corporation's claims of preparedness, several low-lying areas in Chennai remained waterlogged following today's rainfall, raising fresh concerns about the effectiveness of the stormwater drainage system constructed over the past four years—a major project undertaken by the DMK government since 2021. The anticipated extreme rainfall could significantly test this infrastructure.