Red Alert For Heavy Rainfall For Today, Tomorrow In Flood-Hit Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu and capital Chennai have been battered by heavy rains over the past few days, having received 46 per cent excess rain so far this season, as compared to the historical average

A 'red alert' - for heavy to very heavy rainfall today and tomorrow - has been issued for 20 districts across Tamil Nadu, including state capital Chennai, after a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression. It is expected to move west-northwest and reach Tamil Nadu's northern coast by tomorrow morning.

This will lead to heavy to very rainfall (and in some cases extremely heavy rain) over parts of the southern state as well as neighbouring Puducherry and Karaikal, the weather department said.

Ahead of the expected fresh deluge, the Tamil Nadu government has set up 434 'siren towers' to alert authorities to floods and other emergencies, and is working with telecom networks to ensure mobile connectivity is not affected; 50 cellular phone towers (on wheels) are ready for use.

In Chennai 46 boats and as many JCBs, or earth movers, over 500 giant motor pumps have been deployed to aid in rescue efforts and to drain floodwaters, Greater Chennai Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi told NDTV