The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has withdrawn the red alert issued for Chennai and its suburbs for very heavy rainfall.
Earlier, the IMD had warned of heavy to very heavy rain with thunder and lightning in several districts including Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore, Nilgiris and Theni. Rain has been reported in multiple locations as per the forecast.
The Tamil Nadu government has been taking precautionary steps. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has been kept on standby at Velachery, while three additional teams comprising 90 personnel have been rushed to Chennai.
To support rescue work in waterlogged areas, 1,000 tractors have been arranged from Villupuram to be deployed in Chennai.
In its update, the IMD said the upper-air circulation that prevailed over the north Tamil Nadu coastal belt, including Chennai, has moved eastward. It added that there is no longer a forecast of widespread rain for Chennai, though heavy rain may continue at one or two places.
