Chennai woke up to heavy rain on Diwali morning, causing waterlogging across many parts of the city and major travel problems. Rain has been pouring for the last two days, flooding roads and even runways at the Chennai airport.
Videos shared on social media show cars stuck on waterlogged streets and aircraft surrounded by water. Areas like Velachery, Medavakkam, Pallikaranai, and Neelankarai along East Coast Road (ECR) were badly affected.
The heavy rain slowed traffic and made it difficult for people to move around. Many residents in low-lying areas said that drains were overflowing and that they had to walk through knee-deep water.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that moderate rain and thunderstorms are likely to continue through the day in Chennai and nearby districts such as Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Puducherry, and Karaikal. Rain is expected to continue along the Tamil Nadu coast till October 22.
Train Services Affected in Nilgiris
In the Nilgiris hills, train services on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) were stopped after landslides blocked the tracks between Kallar and Coonoor. The Southern Railway said fallen trees and mudslides made the route unsafe. Three train services between Mettupalayam and Udagamandalam (Ooty) were cancelled on October 19.
Rain Disrupts Life in Coastal Tamil Nadu
Heavy rain also hit coastal and delta districts like Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, and Villupuram. In Thoothukudi, markets remained open despite the downpour, but the district administration declared a holiday for schools due to flooding.
