Already Tamil Nadu was suffering from power shortage and the poor northeast monsoon will also lead to drinking water scarcity apart from affecting agriculture. Except for Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts, all other regions in the state are reeling under deficit rainfall this season. This deficit rainfall is bound to create a serious challenge to water managers in Chennai on how to manage the looking drinking water shortage during the summer season next year. The state received rains only from cyclonic storms and even those two depressions that crossed Tamil Nadu gave rains for only one day each.
While the season witnessed a record four cyclones Phailin, Helen, Lehar and Madi this year, but for the last one none of the others made landfall in Tamil Nadu.
Even Madi crossed the state only as a depression, bringing rains for only a day. The state has so far received a mean rainfall of 29.5 cm compared to a normal of 42 cm for the northeast monsoon season.
Due to a poor NE monsoon, Chennai has realized only 43.6 cm rainfall compared to a normal of 81.7 cm for the period starting October 1 to December 18.