Why Tamil Nadu was severely affected by rain and flooding in Dec? December was a month marked by unusually high temperatures and flooding in Tamil Nadu’s northern and southern regions, which resulted in a number of sad events and extensive damage.
The attack started in Chennai and the surrounding areas, causing significant floods to engulf the state capital.
Thirteen persons lost their life as a result of continuous downpours that hit four districts in southern Tamil Nadu while the authorities struggled with waterlogging problems in Chennai. 17 people lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Chennai during the first week of the month.
WHY IS THERE SO MUCH RAINFALL IN TN?
According to the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA), the Chennai district had 400 mm of rain on average over the course of two days from December 3 to 5.
The intense downpour was ascribed to a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal, which developed into Severe Cyclonic Storm “Michaung,” which made landfall close to Bapatla in Andhra Pradesh.
The district of Thoothukudi recorded an extraordinary 950 mm of rain in a single day in Kalyanapattinum, exceeding the annual normal for the area.
A cyclonic circulation that started in the southwest Bay of Bengal slowly made its way to southern Tamil Nadu, where it left districts inundated with rain.
The first project to mitigate urban flooding
Following Cyclone Michaung’s flooding in Chennai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the first urban flood mitigation project, which has a budget of Rs 562.20 crore.
‘Integrated Urban Flood Management activities for Chennai Basin’ is the main emphasis of this National Disaster Management Fund (NDMF) project.
After flying over the parts of Chennai devastated by the rain, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared that the Central and state governments were taking action to address and lessen the flood situation in the city.
RAINFALL CONTROVERSY TAMIL NADU DISTRICTS
Tamil Nadu’s December rainfall showed considerable diversity amongst districts: 13 received more rain than usual (over 60% above normal), 11 had major shortages, and 5 had deficits between 59% and 20% below normal.
Farmers in the Cauvery Peninsular District organized protests in October and November to demand the release of water, since there was a reported serious water deficit in the state. Nonetheless, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been sharing Cauvery water for many years.
HISTORICAL DEEDS
Tamil Nadu is already dealing with a number of flood-related issues, including the most recent flood in December. At least 290 individuals lost their lives in Chennai in 2015 when the city was submerged by excessive rains.
Rain-related incidents have continued to claim lives in the years that have followed, with 18 deaths reported in the districts of Nilgiris in 2021.
Low-lying areas have been left marooned and have resulted in fatalities due to Cyclones Nivar in November 2020 and other incidents. With its history of flooding, Tamil Nadu continues to struggle with controlling its rainfall deficit and lessening the effects of severe weather.
