Heavy Rains Lash Nilgiris, Coimbatore As Low Pressure Strengthens Off Odisha Coast

A low pressure area has formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal, just off the Odisha coast, and is expected to strengthen over the next 48 hours, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai said on Tuesday (27 May).

According to a report in The Hindu, the system is moving slowly northward and could bring more intense rainfall to several parts of Tamil Nadu, especially along the Western Ghats.

Due to the early onset of the southwest monsoon, some parts of the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts have already seen heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the past few days. Avalanche in the Nilgiris has recorded a whopping 94 cm of rainfall in just three days — 21 cm on 25 May, 35 cm on 26 May, and 26 cm on 27 May. Nearby Upper Bhavani saw 53 cm and Chinnakalar in Coimbatore district received 56 cm during the same period.

Other places like Emerald, Pandalur, Upper Gudalur, and Gudalur Bazar in the Nilgiris, and Siruvani Dam, Cincona, and Valparai in Coimbatore have all recorded between 30 and 50 cm of rain.

Looking ahead, the RMC has forecast more rain. On Wednesday (28 May), light to moderate rainfall is expected across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal, with thunder and lightning likely in a few places. However, heavy to very heavy rain is expected to hit isolated areas in the Western Ghats of Coimbatore and the Nilgiris.

Other hilly districts — including Tirunelveli, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Theni, Tenkasi, and Kanniyakumari — may also see heavy showers. The rain is expected to continue on Thursday (29 May), with similar warnings in place.

With the low pressure system building and the monsoon settling in, authorities are advising residents in vulnerable areas to stay alert and take necessary precautions.