Chennai remains under an orange alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, with the regional weather centre warning that rain could continue as the northeast monsoon intensifies. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has directed eight ministers in charge of Chennai’s 15 corporation zones to return to the city and supervise flood-response operations on the ground.
The alert follows heavy rain that began on the evening of October 17. The Chennai weather centre said the city could receive heavy to extremely heavy rainfall again on October 18, while new cloud formations were developing over northern coastal areas. The weather system has been linked in the report to a low-pressure area forming over the Arabian Sea.
The Chief Minister instructed the ministers to visit waterlogged locations immediately and ensure that standing rainwater is removed without delay. The ministers have been assigned responsibility for monitoring the situation across the Greater Chennai Corporation’s 15 zones.
“An immediate solution must be found in areas where rainwater has accumulated in Chennai,” the Chief Minister said in the direction reported by Dinamalar. He also asked the ministers responsible for the zones to inspect drainage and water-removal work directly in the affected areas.
Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Sameeran said the civic body was prepared to manage the heavy rain and that the Chief Minister was monitoring the impact. He said pumping operations were under way at locations where rainwater had accumulated.
The response places the corporation’s zonal administration at the centre of the immediate effort. Ministers assigned to the zones are expected to track local conditions, while civic teams use motor pumps to clear water from affected areas. The report did not provide a zone-wise list of inundated roads, the number of deployed pumps, rainfall measurements or details of transport disruptions.
The continuing alert comes as Chennai enters another period of intense northeast monsoon activity. For residents, the immediate concerns are the pace of water removal, access through waterlogged streets and the functioning of essential services as further rain is forecast. The effectiveness of the response will depend on how quickly local teams can identify accumulation points and keep them clear while rainfall continues.
The Chief Minister’s directions and the corporation’s pumping operations remain in force as the city prepares for another spell of heavy rain. Ministers assigned to Chennai’s 15 zones are to inspect affected areas and oversee water-removal work while the orange alert remains active.
