Twelve persons have died and more than 7,100 people took refuge in relief camps across the state even as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) ruled out any major rainfall activity over Chennai in the next 24 hours.

A top official from the state government said that officially seven people have been declared dead due to the Northeast Monsoon. However, the figures did not take into account the deaths due to electrocution.

Commissioner of Revenue Administration (CRA) K Satyagopal said these deaths were due to reasons like lightning and wall collapse. The CRA said over 7,100 persons were being housed in relief camps in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Nagapatinam districts and over 87,000 food packets had been given to them.

The state has so far recieved 195.9 mm rainfall, which is an 8 mm deficit. The normal rainfall should be 212.3 mm.

It is learnt that S Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said the low pressure area over Southwest Bay of Bengal off the Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu coast now lies as a trough of low at mean sea level over Southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West-Central Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu– South Andhra Pradesh coast.

Though heavy rain is expected over coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, no major rainfall activity will be seen over Chennai for next 24 hours.

More flood monitoring & warnings:The State govt appointed seven more IAS officers to monitor rain-related works in Kancheepuram dist while the Collector issued flood warning to 21 villages by Kiliyar river since surplus water from Madurant-akam lake would be released

Chennai tops: Chennai has received highest rainfall in TN, with 617.5 mm as against normal 320.5 mm