North East monsoon commences in Tamil Nadu

"Northeast monsoon rains has commenced today, October 30" Met Office Director S Balachandran told reporters.

He said this year the northeast monsoon rains was expected to be normal and the state was expected to get about 39 cm to  44 cm of normal rainfall.

Last year, the state received 53 cms of rain, which also resulted in massive floods in Chennai and suburbs.

On the forecast for the next 24 hours, he said moderate rainfall would occur at many places of Tamil Nadu.

The rains would be heavy in one or two places in the interior districts of the state during the same period.

The Chennai city would receive intermittent spells of rain, Mr Balachandran said.

He said during the last 24 hours ending at 08:30 hrs this morning, Tiruvaiyaru received a maximum of seven cms of rain, followed by the Thozhudhur, Valangaiman and Perambalur,  which received six cms of rain.