Chennai, 1 September (H.S.): A severe cloudburst hit Chennai's Manali area on August 30, bringing intense rainfall and disruptions to the city. According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, Manali received a record 27 cm of rainfall in 24 hours, with other areas like New Manali Town and Wimco Nagar recording 26 cm and 23 cm, respectively.

The cloudburst, which occurred late on Saturday night, resulted in three extremely heavy, eight very heavy, and 28 heavy rainfall events across the city. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that six separate rain spells crossed 10 cm per hour, meeting the official criteria for a cloudburst. This intense weather event highlights the unpredictability of monsoon patterns in Chennai.

The heavy rainfall caused disruptions at Chennai airport, with three flights diverted to Bengaluru. Flights from Frankfurt, Mangaluru, and New Delhi were unable to land in Chennai due to adverse weather conditions. The city's residents experienced significant waterlogging and flooding, with several areas receiving substantial rainfall.

According to weather experts, Chennai's average rainfall for August has already crossed 200 mm, with some areas experiencing historic rainfall levels. The southwest monsoon has been active over northern Tamil Nadu, and the RMC predicts light to moderate rain in isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal area in the next 24 hours.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary