The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a major alert for Tamil Nadu, forecasting rains in 29 districts across the state. The capital Chennai is already witnessing heavy downpour on Friday morning, registering a sudden shift from the scorching heat on Thursday.
Heavy rains, accompanied by thunder and lightning, lashed various parts of Chennai city from 5 am on Friday morning in areas including Nungambakkam, Guindy, Velachery, Thiruvanmiyur, Nanganallur, Alandur, Meenambakkam, Adyar, Ashoknagar, and Vadapalani. All these areas also recorded waterlogging.
While the Raja Annamalaipuram area received 10 cm of rain around 5 am, the Adayar received nine cm, and Inchambakkam and Pallikaranai received 8 cm from 5 am. It has also been reported that rain will continue in the 5 districts of Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, and Cuddalore, the weather department warned.
One of the most massive #thunderstorms I have seen in recent times as storms suddenly intensified like anything and parts of North/South and especially core #Chennai thrashed with #heavyrains ranging 30-70mm in no time with very high #rain rates !!⛈️🌧️ #TNRains #ChennaiRains pic.twitter.com/uyczYdrX0i
— TN Weatherman (Samarth) (@SAMARTHMBANSAL1) August 22, 2025
Tunnel closed
The Chennai Traffic police has closed temporarily closed the Duraisamy tunnel in T. Nagar after waterlogging caused traffic bottlenecks. The Nungambakkam tunnel has been closed due to excessive water accumulation.
Waterlogging at areas including Koyambedu , Anna Nagar, Senai Nagar, Aminkarai, and Mukapper has caused waterlogging.
Some parts of Chennai seeing moderate to slightly intense Thunderstorms. Should last about 15 to 30 minutes due to slow moving storms. Not all places may see rains. pic.twitter.com/m8LhXGNtKv
— Chennai Rains (COMK) (@ChennaiRains) August 21, 2025
Other districts
The Chennai Meteorological Department has predicted moderate rain with thunder and lightning in a few parts of Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram districts and Puducherry till 10 am on Friday. Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur in one or two areas of Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Mayiladuthurai, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Theni, and Dindigul districts till 10 am on Friday.
The rains are caused by the change in the speed of the westerly wind.
There is a possibility of widespread rain in the coastal districts tomorrow night. Especially in districts like Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, widespread rain with thunder and lightning is likely. Overall, the weathermen have said that there is a possibility of good rain in the coastal districts for the next two days.
