The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on Thursday due to a depression over the southwestern Bay of Bengal.

The depression which was situated 250 kilometres south-southeast of Chennai on Thursday afternoon is likely to cross the coasts of north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh on Friday morning, the weather department said.

The agency has predicted that most places in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry receive light to moderate rainfall on Thursday. It has predicted heavy rainfall at isolated places in the Rayalseema region of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on Friday.

Meanwhile, parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh reported heavy rains on Thursday morning.

The weather department said that on Thursday morning, Coimbatore registered a downpour of 6 centimetres, Karaikal 5 centimetres, Nellore 4 centimetres, and Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Tiruchirapalli 3 centimetres each, the Hindustan Times reported.

Puducherry and Nungambakkam in Chennai received 2 centimetres of rainfall each.

Some areas in the districts of Tirunelveli and Pudukottai were left inundated, PTI reported. Normal life was also affected in Puducherry on Thursday on account of the incessant downpour.

District administrations in Chennai, Thiruvallur and Ranipet have announced a holiday for schools and colleges on Thursday because of the downpour, The News Minute reported. All schools will stay closed in the Kancheepuram district as well.

Puducherry Education Minister A Namassivayam also announced a holiday for all schools and colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal on Thursday.

The Greater Chennai Corporation on Wednesday advised people to stock up on supplies, essential items and groceries for the next two days. It added that 600 motor pumps have been put in place to drain water out of inundated areas if needed.

On Tuesday, the Tamil Nadu centre of the IMD had issued a red alert – which indicates “extremely heavy rainfall” – for the districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Ranipet for Thursday, according to The Indian Express.

The weather department had also predicted thunderstorms with heavy rain at some places in Salem, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Erode, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore districts and Puducherry on November 18. There is a forecast for thunderstorms with heavy rains in some areas of Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchirapalli, Salem, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi and Karaikal also.

Tamil Nadu was battered by heavy rain last week as well as 14 people died due to the incessant downpour. The heavy rains had brought Chennai to a standstill. Photos from the city showed submerged cars, uprooted trees and residents being rescued on rubber boats.