IMD predicts heavy shower till Nov 23 in Tamil Nadu, other southern states; Sabarimala pilgrimage halted
Despite the bad weather and the COVID-19 scenario, numerous devotees have trekked to the hill-top temple to offer prayers since it opened on November 16 for the two-month Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.
FollowFlash floods have killed at least 17 people in four Rayalaseema districts in Andhra Pradesh, including Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool, and Anantapur. A total of 100 people have been reported missing. Heavy rains caused by a depression that developed over the Bay of Bengal generated flash floods in the areas, bringing life to a halt. Meanwhile, the Pathanamthitta district administration in Kerala issued an order on Friday stating that pilgrimage to the legendary Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala has been banned for one day on Saturday due to heavy rain in the area and rising water levels in important rivers, including the Pamba.
Despite the bad weather and the COVID-19 scenario, numerous devotees have trekked to the hill-top temple to offer prayers since it opened on November 16 for the two-month Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. The district collector said that the government requested the pilgrims to cooperate by not undertaking the journey during this time.
The IMD has also predicted heavy rain for coastal Karnataka and North interior Karnataka through November 23. Rains may fall in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana till then. The meteorological service has forecast extensive rain in various parts of Tamil Nadu until November 23. Chennai may have mild rain through Sunday, with a high temperature of approximately 30 degrees Celsius.
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According to S. Balachandran, Deputy Director-General of Meteorology in Chennai, the red signal for areas such as Chennai and Tiruvallur had to be cancelled since the cloud bands, and their direction varied due to the depression's land interaction.
With a depression over north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh, further rain and thunderstorms are expected in Karnataka's southern and coastal regions during the next two days, with heavy rainfall expected in isolated areas throughout the following four days.
