CHENNAI: Water, Water everywhere but not a drop to drink. This is the plight of residents of Manimangalam, a southern suburb where people have to wade through knee deep water to buy daily provisions, including drinking water.
While individual house owners have left for safe havens, some in the apartments have moved to the upper floors.
Residents who are staying put say that the area is infested by reptiles. Jayakumar who is now living in a church nearby could see few snakes whenever he opened the doors. “I killed one but then saw another one and returned,” he said. His hopes of water receding fast has not happened due to fresh bout of rains.
Jayakumar said those living in individual homes in the locality have locked their homes. The locality is estimated to have more than 200 homes, including apartments.
Even as the low lying areas here are still inundated, advertisements are running on TV channels to sell apartments in Manimangalam and Mudichur. “It has all the infrastructure and has got all the amenities,” said a female voice, looking to hard sell apartments that are coming up here.
On top of this, the people are also flooded by false rumours about impending heavy rains and breaching of lakes in the region.