Key Highlights:

• Heavy rain is forecast for nine Tamil Nadu districts, including Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem and Vellore, on Tuesday.
• Nilgiris and Coimbatore may see continued heavy showers with strong winds until September 20.
• Two people died in separate lightning strikes in Dindigul and Tenkasi districts.
• Sudden flooding near Pachamalai hills in Perambalur stranded several people, who were later rescued using ropes.
• Chennai may receive moderate rain on Wednesday evening or night, with a trough from Karnataka to the Bay of Bengal driving the weather pattern.

An Extended Spell of Heavy Rain Across Tamil Nadu

Heavy rain is likely to lash nine Tamil Nadu districts on Tuesday, while the Nilgiris and Coimbatore may continue to experience heavy showers accompanied by strong winds until September 20, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre. The extended forecast window for these two districts suggests a more prolonged weather event compared to the rest of the state, where heavy rain is currently expected primarily for the immediate near term.

The Weather System Driving the Rain

According to the weather agency, a trough extending from southern interior Karnataka to the southwest Bay of Bengal is currently influencing weather conditions across Tamil Nadu. Under its influence, heavy rain has been forecast for the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Tirupattur and Ranipet districts, while moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is expected in Madurai, Dindigul, Virudhunagar and Sivaganga.

What's Expected on Wednesday

Looking ahead to Wednesday, heavy showers may occur in Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Tirupattur and Ranipet, as well as the Cauvery delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam. Chennai itself is expected to receive moderate rain during the evening or night, a comparatively milder forecast relative to the heavy rain warnings issued for the western and northern districts. The weather agency also cautioned that maximum temperatures could run up to three degrees Celsius above normal at isolated places in interior Tamil Nadu, indicating that despite the widespread rain, some areas may still experience unusually warm conditions during the day.

Flooding Strands Residents Near Perambalur

The impact of this weather system has already been felt across several districts. In Perambalur district, heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning over the Pachamalai hills caused sudden flooding in fields and streams near Adakkampatti village. Several people who had ventured toward the foothills found themselves stranded after rising water cut off their return route, before local residents managed to rescue them using ropes, a stark illustration of how quickly flash flooding in hilly terrain can trap people caught unprepared.

Two Lightning Deaths Reported

The severe weather has also proven fatal in two separate incidents. In Dindigul district, Sonuram Kond, a 25-year-old worker from Odisha, died after being struck by lightning while engaged in borewell construction work at Silvarpatti near Reddiyarchatram. In a separate incident in Tenkasi district, Kasirajan, a mason, was killed by lightning while working at a construction site in Krishnapuram near Kadayanallur during a spell of light rain. These fatalities underscore the particular danger lightning strikes pose to outdoor and construction workers during active storm systems, especially when work continues despite ongoing rainfall.

Infrastructure Disruption in Madurai

Near Sholavandan in Madurai district, a large tree was uprooted during heavy rain and fell on an electricity pole, prompting an immediate suspension of power supply as a safety precaution. A delay in clearing the fallen tree resulted in a power outage lasting more than two hours, causing considerable inconvenience to local residents in the affected area.

Waterlogging Affects Businesses in Virudhunagar

Heavy showers also led to waterlogging on roads in Virudhunagar, with rainwater entering several shops in the area, affecting both residents and local traders who found their premises impacted by the flooding.

A Mix of Relief and Disruption Elsewhere

Not all of the rainfall's effects were disruptive, however. Moderate rainfall brought welcome relief to people and farmers in several parts of Theni district, while Kodaikanal and its surrounding areas experienced notably cooler weather after receiving moderate rain for over three hours. Similarly, Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district recorded widespread rainfall for about an hour during the afternoon, offering residents relief from the humid conditions that had prevailed prior to the rain.

A State Bracing for Continued Wet Weather

With the current weather system expected to persist, particularly over the Nilgiris and Coimbatore through September 20, authorities and residents across Tamil Nadu are likely to remain on alert for further disruptions, ranging from localised flooding and infrastructure damage to the kind of lightning-related risks that have already proven fatal in multiple districts this week.