CHENNAI: Several parts of South Chennai, especially localities of Madipakkam, Adambakkam, Velacherry, and Nanganallur, witnessed water logging due to the non-stop rains brought by cyclone Nivar. Almost all the shops in the localities were shut with even essential items were out of reach for residents.
S Damodaran, a resident of Madipakkam who lives near Erikkarrai, said the roads that were recently laid were all inundated.
"Some of the apartments in the localities were all clogged with knee-deep water as the pits dug to collect rainwater were all filled with sludge preventing the flow," he added.
The Ram Nagar locality in Velachery, as well as Madipakkam, was filled with rainwater with some of the residents taking their cars out to park them at safer places in the locality.
"During every monsoon, this has been the case here in Velachery. The construction of stormwater drains and underground drainage in most of the streets by the Chennai corporation brought us to hope this year but Cyclone Nivar again brought us to square one", said N Sriram, a resident of Ram Nagar.
In Adambakkam main road, the residents were all welcomed on Wednesday morning with rainwater entering some of the houses that were in low lying areas.
The civic body officials were clearing the clogged drains in several parts of Madipakkam and Nanganallur throughout the day.
As the nearing of cyclone Nivar began, several shops downed their shutters. "As residents are confined to their homes fearing the rains. The water level is also going up in some of the streets. So I shut my shop to get back", said Guhan, who owns a grocery store in Madipakkam.
Most of the residents in Nanganallur lamented that the power supply was snapped by TANGEDCO throughout the day when it was raining heavily.
A sanitary inspector involved in cleaning work along Madipakkam locality said that the complaints of waterlogging in residential localities were all addressed.