CHENNAI: Though a red alert was issued for Chennai, Tiruvallur and other neighbouring districts on Wednesday, change in the direction of the depression led to a significant drop in rainfall in most places since Wednesday morning.

As several southern states continue to be lashed by heavy rainfall, the respective state governments have instructed the district officials to announce school holidays. Parts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have been reeling under heavy showers for a few days now.

There is a likelihood disruption of marine and inland water transportation like small boats and trawlers, damage to ‘kutcha’ roads, possibilities of damage to vulnerable structures and localized landslides/mudslides/landslips/mud slips

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted intense showers in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh after heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu. An orange alert has been issued for the two states, especially the Rayalseema region and coastal Andhra Pradesh where extremely heavy showers are expected.

IMD forecasts isolated heavy rain in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka due to monsoon depression.

Some neighbourhoods and roads in Chennai and other other parts of Tamil Nadu were under knee-deep water. Many Bengaluru areas, too, were waterlogged while there are flash flood warnings for some parts

Heavy rain has been pounding Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh for the past few days with the weather office predicting more showers. The schools and colleges in these states have been closed in view of the incessant rainfall.

The India Meteorological Department had forecast very heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning and squalls on Wednesday for coastal, north interior and south interior parts of Karnataka.