Indian authorities have issued a red alert for southern Tamil Nadu state as heavy rainfall battered several parts of the coastal region 10 days after record rainfall triggered major flooding that killed 14 people.
The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a “heavy to very heavy” rainfall warning in the state capital Chennai and six other districts for the next 24 hours.
A “heavy rainfall” warning has also been issued for the coastal areas of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh state.
The latest rainfall was triggered by a low pressure front that formed following a depression over the Bay of Bengal on Thursday, said Dr S Balachandran, the state's deputy director-general of meteorology.
“The rainfall is due to a very slow movement of low pressure which formed over south-east Bay of Bengal. It has moved [within] 210 kilometres of Chennai now,” Dr Balachandran told The National.
“We can expect heavy to very heavy rainfall in various pockets of the state in the next 24 hours,” he added.
The weather department has warned of strong winds and “rough to very rough” sea conditions over the south-west and adjoining central-west Bay of Bengal along Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and along the southern coasts of Andhra Pradesh over the next 24 hours.
Chennai received 22.1 millimetres of rain overnight while Thiruvallur recorded the highest level of rainfall, with 64mm reported on Thursday.
Dr Balachandran said the state has already recorded 48 centimetres of rainfall this month and could receive a further 4cm more in tomorrow's downpour.
Schools and educational institutions in 21 districts have been shut due to the heavy rains.
Videos on social media and television footage showed waist-deep water in Chennai and vehicles semi-submerged in stagnant water. A flood-like situation was reported in Tirunelveli, where an entire bus station was inundated with water.
The state government opened two spillway shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam after water levels rose to about 43 metres. The dam is located in Kerala but is managed by the Tamil Nadu government.
Authorities in Chennai have deployed manpower for quick relief and rescue activities and 600 heavy-duty water pumps. They have kept 50 boats on standby for rescue and relief work in case of floods.
The state has been witnessing the highest level of rainfall since December 2015 when intense rains triggered flooding that killed more than 400 people and displaced more than 1.8 million.
On November 7, at least 14 people were killed after heavy rainfall lashed several parts of the state, triggering landslides and floods.
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ESSENTIALS
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Where to stay
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Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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Company%20profile
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FIXTURES
Nov 04-05: v Western Australia XI, Perth
Nov 08-11: v Cricket Australia XI, Adelaide
Nov 15-18 v Cricket Australia XI, Townsville (d/n)
Nov 23-27: 1ST TEST v AUSTRALIA, Brisbane
Dec 02-06: 2ND TEST v AUSTRALIA, Adelaide (d/n)
Dec 09-10: v Cricket Australia XI, Perth
Dec 14-18: 3RD TEST v AUSTRALIA, Perth
Dec 26-30 4TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Melbourne
Jan 04-08: 5TH TEST v AUSTRALIA, Sydney
Note: d/n = day/night
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
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The BIO
Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.
Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.
Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.
Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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More coverage from the Future Forum
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
GAC GS8 Specs
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