Chennai: The Depression over the Bay moved northwestwards at a speed of 10 kmph during the last six hours, even as rains abated in Red Alert sounded Chennai and its surrounding districts during this period, but set to intensify later on Wednesday and cross the North Tamil Nadu coast near Chennai early tomorrow.
After a day of heavy downpour, the dip in intensity of rains since 9.00 PM last night, which led to ceasing of stagnated water in inundated areas of Chennai and suburbs, and it was attributed to lack of cloud cover.
These areas have been experiencing mild showers till now and intermittent drizzles though the showers would intensify as it inched closer to the North Tamil Nadu coast before crossing.
The IMD in a bulletin early today morning said the depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 10kmph during the past six hours and lay centred over the same region about 440 km east-southeast of Chennai, 460 km east-southeast of Puducherry and 530 km south-east of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh.
It is likely to move northwestwards and cross North Tamil Nadu-South Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Nellore, close to Chennai early tomorrow morning as a depression.
Meanwhile, as the rains abated since last night due to lack of cloud cover, stagnated rain water has receded in several parts of the city, though some of the suburbs continued to remain in thick sheets of water.
Schools and colleges were declared a holiday for the second day today, in Chennai and its adjoining districts of Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu and other districts, while schools alone were declared holiday in six other districts.
Met office said the Red Alert issued for Chennai and its adjoining districts still stands as the intensity of the rainfall would increase as it started moving close to the North TN coast.
The Madras High Court and the Regional Passport Office, Chennai have also declared a holiday for the day today in view of heavy rains.
Yesterday's heavy rains has brought copious inflow into the reservoirs in and around Chennai which serves as the main drinking water sources for the city.