Chennai Rains: IMD Issues Red Alert, Schools Closed, Trains And Flights Hit

Heavy rains lashed Chennai on Tuesday, flooding several parts of the city. Triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, the downpour created knee-deep water on roads, stranding residents, causing major traffic disruptions.

Residential neighbourhoods were reportedly submerged, and key roads and highways severely waterlogged. Public transportation, including buses and local trains, faced delays or rerouting due to flooded routes, leading to accidents and power outages in various neighbourhoods.

Since the rain began earlier this week, over 300 locations in the city have experienced widespread flooding, with Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam receiving 13 cm and 10 cm of rain respectively on Tuesday.

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The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Chennai, forecasting isolated extremely heavy rainfall with some areas expected to receive up to 20 cm of rain. 

On Thursday, heavy to very heavy rain is anticipated in Tiruvallur and Ranipet districts.

In light of the severe weather conditions, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin visited the hardest-hit areas on Tuesday evening, inspecting waterlogged streets in Pattalam and urging the public to remain indoors. He also checked on flood-prone areas and the Otteri Canal to ensure that drainage systems were functioning properly.

The administration has ramped up disaster relief efforts, deploying emergency services throughout Chennai. The state has activated 16 teams from the State Disaster Response Force and 10 from the National Disaster Response Force for rescue operations. A total of 89 boats have been stationed in Chennai for emergency rescues and 5,147 relief camps have been established statewide, with 300 located in Chennai to accommodate residents from low-lying areas. Precautionary messages have been sent to approximately 8.5 million mobile phones through a common alerting protocol.

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin announced that 13,000 volunteers in Chennai and 65,000 across Tamil Nadu are on standby for relief efforts. 

The state government has declared holidays for schools and colleges in four districts—Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu. Private offices have been advised to allow employees to work from home or engage minimal staff during this period. Essential services, including police, fire and rescue, municipal administration and transportation of essential goods, will continue to operate normally.

Waterlogging and weather disruptions have caused significant delays and cancellations across multiple modes of travel. 

Southern Railways cancelled several express trains, including the Chennai Central-Mysuru Kaveri Express, due to waterlogging between important stations like Basin Bridge and Vyasarpadi. Additional trains were diverted or rescheduled to minimise the disruption.

While Metro trains continued running, a safety advisory was issued to ensure passengers’ safety, particularly in waterlogged areas like Koyambedu. Some station escalators were turned off, and parking lots were restricted to prevent damage from water stagnation.

Many domestic flights were cancelled as a considerable number of passengers could not reach the airport due to flooding. Airlines have advised travellers to check flight statuses and plan accordingly.

In addition to these, bus services have also been affected, particularly in low-lying areas.