Chennai rains disrupted morning travel and triggered 1,212 public complaints within 24 hours, prompting the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to deploy additional teams and high-capacity pumps across waterlogged areas. The city recorded an average rainfall of 70.25 mm in the 24-hour period ending at 6 am on October 21, according to the GCC’s Integrated Command and Control Centre report.
The heaviest rainfall was recorded in central and southern parts of the city. Vadapalani received 132.9 mm, followed by Saidapet at 125.2 mm and Alandur at 119.4 mm. Madipakkam recorded 114.6 mm, Maduravoyal 112.5 mm, Valasaravakkam 109.6 mm, Nungambakkam 106.8 mm, Adyar 104.1 mm and Korattur 96 mm.
Rainfall was lighter in several northern locations. Ennore recorded 39 mm, Kargil Nagar 30 mm and Thiruvottiyur 22.8 mm, highlighting the uneven impact of the overnight spell across Chennai’s drainage and road network.
GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran said schools in Chennai had been declared closed because of the continuing rain. Additional water pumps were positioned near school zones, while subways were monitored to reduce the risk of disruption during the morning commute. Ministers and senior officials also carried out inspections, the Commissioner said.
AGS Colony was identified as the main location experiencing standing water. Three 100-horsepower motors were deployed there to remove accumulated rainwater. The civic body said most complaints related to waterlogging and inundation, while more than 50 concerned fallen trees and non-functional streetlights.
The GCC said most waterlogging and tree-fall complaints had already been cleared by 5 am. Streetlight-related complaints have been assigned a 24-hour resolution deadline. Complaints are to be closed in the civic system only after field engineers upload before-and-after photographs, according to the Commissioner.
The complaints were received through the 1913 helpline, social media, the GCC’s online portal, the PGR mobile application and media reports. Officials said the Core City region generated most complaints, partly because of its higher population density and greater awareness of the helpline. Inputs were also received from northern areas including Manali and Madhavaram.
The Regional Meteorological Centre forecast light to moderate rain, with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated locations, until 10 am across Chennai and several districts in Tamil Nadu, as well as Karaikal and Puducherry. The forecast covered areas including Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari.
Sameeran advised residents to avoid inundated or high-water areas, not to enter flooded locations to record videos, and to stay away from transformers, pillar boxes and other electrical installations. Residents were also advised to exercise caution with electrical appliances inside homes. The GCC said it was monitoring warnings related to a low-pressure area forming in the Bay of Bengal.
