Live Blog: Tamil Nadu rains

Heavy rains have led to immense destruction in the state. Today, a portion of a primary school in Vanathi Rayapuram village in Cuddalore collapsed. A big disaster was averted as schools have been shut as a result of the massive showers the state has witnessed in the past few days. Around 31 children study at this school.

Thunderstorm with moderate rain is likely to occur in Perambalur, Ariyalur, Tiruchirapalli, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Salem, Vellore, Ranipet, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry within next three hours.

Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Ranipet are expected to witness heavy to very heavy rain on November 18. Intense rain of 20.4 cm is likely in one or two places in these districts. Nearly 10 other districts are likely to get heavy or very heavy rain. The phenomenon is expected to continue in some districts on November 19 and 20.

Red Alert has been maintained for Chennai and its surrounding districts for November 18 by the India Meteorological Department. The city is likely to receive extremely heavy rain on the day. Rain will continue over Tamil Nadu till November 21.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said that thunderstorm with heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Kanyakumari, Vellore, Ranipet. Tirupattur, Dharmapur, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Namakkal, Karur, Dindigul, Salem, Coumbatore, Theni, Perambalur, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Virudhunagar and Therkasi ditricts. Moderate rain and thunderstorm are also likely to occur at many places in the state along with Puducherry & Karaikal.

The red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has now been withdrawn. The weather system crossed the coast of Tamil Nadu between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm on Thursday, resulting in heavy rains and high winds. On Friday, thunderstorms with heavy rains are expected in parts of the state, including Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Kanyakumari districts. Light to moderate rain is likely to occur at many places over the rest of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal area. All educational institutions will remain closed on Friday as well.

Incessant rains have killed at least 14 people in Tamil Nadu. A red alert was earlier issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicating heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, in parts of Tamil Nadu, including northern Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengelpet, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts.

All arrivals at the Chennai Airport have been suspended till 6 am today due to heavy rains and crosswinds. However, departures will continue as per schedule. "Decision has been taken considering safety of passengers," the airport said.

The depression over Bay of Bengal will cross the coast between north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh this evening and the city would witness "strong" winds up to 45 km, the weather office said on Thursday. Districts in northern Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Kancheepuram and Villpuram are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, S Balachandran said, even as the city and its suburbs received sharp showers all through the night.

The IMD has forecast thunderstorms with heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated places over Chennai and Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpet districts on Thursday. Surface winds are expected to blow at a speed of 40kmph to 45kmph over north districts and Puducherry due to the influence of a depression over the Bay of Bengal off north Tamil Nadu coast. Thunderstorm has been forecast with moderate rain in isolated places over Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in next three hours.

The low pressure area over Bay of Bengal is very likely to concentrate into a depression soon and bring widespread rainfall across Tamil Nadu for the next couple of days, the Meteorological department said. Comparatively, though there was a decline in rainfall in Chennai and nearby districts like Chengelpet on Tuesday, regions like Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam and Karaikal in the Union Territory of Puducherry received heavy to very heavy rainfall.