The low pressure area between Maldives and Sri Lanka has intensified into a depression as observed by the India Meteorological Department. The MET department expects it to further intensify into a deep depression within the next 24 hours and possibly evolve into a cyclone in the following 24 hours. Due to this weather system Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have witnessed heavy rains in the past 24 hours with Tiruttani in Tiruvallur district receiving 19 centimetres of rain in a day.
Most areas of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are expected to witness rains in the next 24 hours, with the possibility of heavy rains in several areas including Madurai, Pudukkottai, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Trichy, Perambalur, Ariyalur besides all of the Delta districts like Tiiruvallur, Vellore, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kanchipuram and Tiruvannamalai districts.
The state government has warned fishermen not to venture into the sea adjoining the Gulf of Mannar, Kanyakumari, the Maldives, Lakshadweep and southern Kerala coast for the coming 2 days.
The Tamil Nadu Revenue Department has asked all the districts to keep their disaster management machinery in high state of readiness.
Heavy rains have forced eight districts of the state to declare holiday for educational institutions for today. Chennai received incessant rains since morning which have caused traffic snarls at many locations.
