CHENNAI: Heavy rain disrupted normal life across several parts of Tamil Nadu, flooding roads and homes, damaging infrastructure and causing prolonged power outages, even as the weather department forecast scattered showers over the Western Ghats districts and southern parts of the state.
In Tirupattur district, roads in the Vayampattu area were submerged following heavy rainfall, leaving motorists struggling to negotiate waterlogged stretches. The inundation disrupted movement and caused considerable inconvenience to residents travelling through the affected locality.
Urban areas of Sivaganga also experienced heavy rain, accompanied by a power outage lasting more than 10 hours. The prolonged disruption compounded difficulties for residents already dealing with the wet weather.
In Coimbatore district, downpours lashed Puliyamarathupalayam, Sulur and Varapatti. A tarred road in Puliyamarathupalayam suffered damage following the rain, affecting access and adding to the problems faced by road users.
Students in the Tharangambadi area of Mayiladuthurai district travelled to school in the rain, with many arriving drenched. The showers made the morning journey difficult for children and those accompanying them.
Heavy rainfall in Kodaikanal substantially increased the flow at Silver Cascade waterfall. Water also entered houses in the Thoppikanal area, disrupting household activities and severely affecting normal life.
Meanwhile, Army personnel were engaged in clearing and repairing a landslide-affected stretch of the hill road leading to Udhagamandalam. Restoration work continued as rain-related damage affected movement in the hills.
The weather department, meanwhile, warned that a cyclone moving towards the west-central Bay of Bengal was expected to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm. Its bulletin indicated a possible landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam.
For Tamil Nadu, the department forecast light to moderate rain at one or two places in the Western Ghats districts and southern districts on Tuesday. Predominantly dry conditions were expected elsewhere in the state.
On Wednesday, isolated light to moderate showers were forecast over the Western Ghats districts, while parts of southern Tamil Nadu could receive light rain.
The remaining districts were likely to experience dry weather. Chennai was expected to have partly cloudy skies on Tuesday, with light to moderate rain possible in some localities. The forecast pointed to a more limited spread of rainfall over the next two days, following downpours that left several districts dealing with waterlogging, damaged roads and interrupted electricity supply.