An observational study of the Kanchipuram flood during the northeast monsoon season in 2015

Southeast India experienced several extreme precipitation events during November and early December 2015, which resulted in heavy flooding over Tamilnadu and Puducherry. Kanchipuram was one of the worst affected districts of Tamilnadu. The devastating floods that hit Kanchipuram during November/December 2015 caused serious damage to property and loss of human life. This study focuses on rain gauge data from 13 stations in Kanchipuram. The results show that there were multiple heavy precipitation events during the second week of November and the first week of December that resulted in record‐breaking heavy runoff over Kanchipuram, causing severe flooding over the region. The extremely heavy precipitation over Kanchipuram occurred in multiple spells: 7–9 November, 15–17 November and 1/2 December 2015. Tambram station recorded a maximum rainfall value of about 494 mm on 2 December. Peak rainfall amounts of about 329 and 316 mm were also recorded over Tambram and Panankattucheri on 16 and 9 November, respectively. It was found that multi‐day heavy precipitation events during November and December caused heavy flooding over Kanchipuram. • This study presents analysis of observational data from a flood that hit Kanchipuram, India in 2015. • Rain gauge observations from 13 stations are used. • The results show that the flood was caused by multi‐day heavy precipitation events during November and December. • The image shows the cumulative rainfall totals over Kanchipuram from 2 November to 2 December 2015.