Freak weather dumped widespread, unprecedented extremely heavy rain in 39 places in southern districts, the highest being 95 cm in Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi district. An upper air circulation dumping such a mind-boggling amount of rain in 24 hours was rare in the region, meteorology experts said.
While questions were raised on insufficient forewarnings about the extremely heavy rainfall in the region on Sunday (December 17), officials of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said they had warned of the probability of very heavy rains since December 14. The forecast was upgraded to extremely heavy rains (which is above 21 cm) in isolated places, ahead of 24 hours. However, the downpour was intense and widespread in southern districts particularly in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Theni.