CHENNAI: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) has issued a yellow alert for 19 districts of Tamil Nadu, forecasting heavy rains over the next two days.
According to a statement from the Weather Department, these districts are expected to receive substantial rainfall due to a cyclonic system and an upper air circulation over the sea.
The affected districts include Coimbatore, Tiruppur, The Nilgiris, Madurai, Erode, Virudhunagar, Theni, Dindigul, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Krishnagiri, Ramanathapuram, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Thoothukudi, and Sivaganga.
The RMC stated that a cyclonic circulation over the Gulf of Mannar has weakened, while an upper air circulation persists over the southwest Bay of Bengal, off the south Andhra coast.
According to extended-range predictions, coastal Tamil Nadu may experience below-normal rainfall, but above-average rainfall is expected in other parts of the state through November 7.
From November 8 to 14, near-normal to slightly above-normal rainfall is forecast in many areas of Tamil Nadu.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea for the next 48 hours due to expected winds of 35-45 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 55 kmph along the southern Tamil Nadu coast, the Gulf of Mannar, and around the Cameron region. Northeast monsoon brings heavy rainfall. The Northeast Monsoon, which began on October 17, has already brought substantial rainfall to Tamil Nadu.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast normal to above-normal rainfall for northern Tamil Nadu and normal rainfall for southern parts of the state, though many southern districts have already experienced significant rains.
For the October-December season, the IMD expects the southern peninsular region—including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh—to receive 112 per cent of the long-term average rainfall of 33.4 cm. Tamil Nadu typically receives an average of 44 cm during the northeast monsoon period.
Tamil Nadu Health Department has urged the public to be cautious regarding the spread of contagious diseases, such as dengue, malaria, leptospirosis, and influenza. Since January 2024, Tamil Nadu has recorded 18, 000 dengue cases.
The State Public Health Department has advised residents to remove stagnant water from their premises to prevent mosquito breeding.
The Health Department has already established monsoon health camps across the state to identify cases of dengue, malaria, leptospirosis, influenza, and other diseases.
Health Minister Ma Subramanian emphasised that the department is closely monitoring vector-borne diseases, particularly dengue, which is prevalent in 10 districts: Chennai, Coimbatore, Krishnagiri, Tiruppur, Tiruvallur, Theni, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Thanjavur, and Tiruchi.
These districts account for 57 per cent of the total dengue cases in Tamil Nadu. Dr. T. S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, reported that the health department is tracking fever-related cases in both government and private hospitals.
The public has been advised to avoid storing rainwater in discarded items, which can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and to drink only boiled water to prevent waterborne diseases.