Another spell may rain hope for Chennai's reservoirs

There could be one last spell of rainfall in the city around January 9. Weathermen are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that a trough of low pressure near the south Andaman Sea intensifies and moves to the Tamil Nadu coast. But there is a good chance that the system could move toward Orissa or West Bengal.

If the current system fails to produce rain, however, there may not be any more rainfall in the city as the northeast monsoon has nearly come to an end.

The failed northeast monsoon has left the city reservoirs in a dismal state. Of their total capacity of 11tmc (thousand million cubic feet), the four reservoirs hold only 1.5tmc which is likely to last only until February. Last year, the Poondi, Chembarambakkam, Redhills and Cholavaram dams had 10tmc water after record rain.

But there is a chance of the trough of low becoming a cyclonic circulation and intensifying into a low pressure area before turning into a well-marked low pressure area. Weathermen who have been monitoring multiple forecast models said the path of the system will be clear by Wednesday. Skymet Weather chief meteorologist Mahesh Palawat said, "During this time of the year, these systems tend to recurve in the Northwest direction and move away from the Tamil Nadu coast. But there is still a chance." The Met office has predicted the city skies to remain partly cloudy over the next week."

PWD engineers at Poondi reservoir are waiting for the Andhra Pradesh government to resume supply from Krishna. The supply had been stopped on account of Vardahon December 11, but is yet to resume. The AP government has so far only supplied 1tmc water this year. As per an agreement, the neighbouring state is required to supply 12 tmc a year.

Source: Times of india