Cyclone 'Vardah' weakens into a low pressure: Met Office

CHENNAI: Cyclone Vardah has weakened into a well marked low pressure, a day after it wreaked havoc in the city and neighbouring districts, weather officials said today.

"As of 8.30 AM today, the cyclone which made landfall yesterday has weakened into a well marked low pressure and it is nearly 40 km away from Dharmapuri," Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD, S Balachandran told reporters.

An IMD bulletin said the depression over north interior Tamil Nadu moved westwards and weakened into a "well marked low pressure" area over area and adjoining south interior Karnataka at 8.30 AM.

In its forecast for the next 24 hours, the Met office said rainfall may occur over north interior Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas of south interior Karnataka and North Kerala.

For Chennai and its neighbourhood, the sky was likely to be cloudy and light rains may occur in some areas in the next 24-48 hours, it said.

The maximum rainfall in the past 24 hours ending 8.30 AM today was recorded at nearby Sholinganallur at 38 cm, while Salem, Dharmapuri and Mettur recorded one cm each.