Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has lambasted the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for what he deemed a failure in predicting heavy rainfall that wreaked havoc in four southern districts of the state on December 17 and 18. Speaking from Delhi, Stalin pointed out that the IMD’s ‘red’ alert for rains was issued after the downpour had already commenced.
Stalin highlighted the discrepancy between the forecast provided by the regional meteorological centre in Chennai on December 17 and the actual extreme rainfall that ensued. He emphasized that the heavy rainfall surpassed predictions and was unprecedented, causing severe flooding in Thoothukudi, Tiruneveli, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari. This rainfall event marked the heaviest recorded in the region since 1871.
While the IMD had issued a red warning for rainfall exceeding 21cm, Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi district received a staggering 95 cm of rainfall in a single day, surpassing the district’s average annual rainfall of 70 cm.
Stalin acknowledged the precautions taken by Tamil Nadu despite delayed warnings and excessive rainfall. However, the dairy development minister in Stalin’s cabinet, Mano Thangaraj, emphasized that more accurate forecasts from the IMD could have mitigated the impact and losses incurred.
S. Balachandran, head of the RMC in Chennai, attributed the heavy rains to a cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area in southeast Sri Lanka. He noted that the system contained more moisture than anticipated, resulting in widespread rainfall. He also highlighted the influence of climate change on such extreme weather events.
M. Rajeevan, former secretary of the ministry of earth sciences, explained that the magnitude of this rain was unexpected from the weather system observed, emphasizing the role of moisture and complex atmospheric dynamics in such situations.
Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, echoed similar sentiments, mentioning anomalous meteorological parameters contributing to the excessive rainfall. Stalin, who met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the flood situation, also urged Defense Minister Rajnath Singh to deploy more helicopters for relief operations.
The aftermath of the intense rains left around four million people affected in the districts, with relief operations involving multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Relief Force, State Disaster Relief Force, Army, and Indian Air Force.
Amid the rescue operations, hundreds of stranded passengers from the Tiruchendur-Chennai Express were rescued by the Indian Air Force and the southern railways. Despite adverse weather conditions, relief materials were eventually dropped to aid those stranded.
While rescue efforts continue, the state government is yet to confirm the rain-related death toll, with ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of affected individuals in the inundated regions.
Sources By Agencies
