The rain pounding Kanniyakumari district and its neighbouring areas may abate slightly from Monday.
The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for the district and a few others along the Western Ghats, as they may receive heavy to very heavy rain in one or two places.
In the past 24 hours, ending 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, many places in Kanniyakumari district received intense rainfall. The Perunchani and Puthan dams in Kanniyakumari district received 22 cm of rainfall each.
Wet weather may continue over the State for another week. On Monday, many places in the State are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall.
Besides Kanniyakumari, the Nilgiris, Theni, Dindigul and Tiruppur districts are likely to get rainfall of very heavy intensity. Sixteen other districts, including Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Cuddalore and Erode, have prospects of heavy rain in one or two places.
There may be a slight dip in the coverage of rainfall in the State on Tuesday and Wednesday. Chennai, which witnessed extreme rainfall episodes, may experience a break, as the department has forecast light or moderate rain in some areas till Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the low-pressure area over the central parts of the Andaman Sea is likely to become well marked over north Andaman Sea and southeast Bay of Bengal by Monday. It may continue to move over the Bay of Bengal, and further intensify into a depression over west-central Bay of Bengal by November 17 and reach south Andhra Pradesh coast around November 18.
S. Balachandran, deputy director general of meteorology, Chennai, said strong westerly winds and a shear zone had led to such severe rainfall in the Kanniyakumari region. On the next weather system, he said the department was monitoring its movement. The impact over Tamil Nadu will depend on its movement and how it gains strength. For instance, if it moves towards south Andhra Pradesh, some parts of the State may receive some rain.
Water release from reservoirs that provide drinking water to Chennai has been reduced considerably after rain eased over the city on Sunday. Chennai did not receive any significant rain.
