CHENNAI: Many places in Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts, received moderate to heavy overnight rains.
Chennai witnessed widespread rainfall on Friday night with some places in the the city recording heavy spells of over 15 cms, especially in the southern part.
With water stagnation reported in a few places, a 30-year-old woman sanitation worker, who was out for work early on Saturday morning, was electrocuted in Kannagi Nagar when she stepped into stagnated water on which a snapped electric cable had fallen.
The death of R Varalakshmi, the worker, is the fifth such death due to electrocution in the past seven weeks, of which four happened during rains. Varalakshmi is survived by her husband Ravi, who reportedly worked as a painter, and two children studying Class 4 and Class 7.
Data from the Greater Chennai Corporation’s Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) said the city received an average rainfall of 8.66 cms in the 24 hour period that ended on Saturday 6 am.
Of the 48 locations the ICCC monitors for rainfall, 13 reported “very heavy” rainfall, 16 reported “heavy” and 19 reported “moderate” rainfall, the GCC said.
According to GCC, Okkiyam Thoraipakkam recorded the highest rainfall of 19.53 cm, followed by Pallikaranai (17.7 cm), Medavakkam Junction (17.1 cm), and Madipakkam (15.78 cm). Parts of central Chennai also received heavy showers, with Parrys logging 15.93 cm and Korattur 13.41 cm of rainfall.
GCC said that all the 21 subways in the city remained open to traffic, with no waterlogging reported. The Ganesapuram Subway remained closed due to bridge-related construction work under way. A release from the GCC in the morning said 17 trees had fallen in the rains in various places and work was under way to remove the trees and clear the roads for traffic.
Workers protest
Varalakshmi’s death happened at around 4.30 am in the morning on the 11th street in Kannagi Nagar. Passersby, with the help of police, disconnected the power supply and rushed her to the Primary Health Centre nearby, where she was declared brought dead.
Sources said conservancy workers had earlier raised complaints about exposed wires and waterlogging to officials concerned, but no action was taken.
The incident triggered a brief protest, with about 50 sanitation workers gathering in front of the office of the councillor of 193rd ward, demanding accountability. They dispersed later. Varalakshmi’s body was shifted to Government Royapettah Hospital for post-mortem.
In a statement, civic rights group Arappor Iyakkam alleged that residents had repeatedly complained to the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) about live wires dangerously exposed in the area, but the issue was ignored. The organisation said similar complaints had been made regarding unsafe electric cables in Kannagi Nagar, Ezhil Nagar, and Perumbakkam.
“How many more lives must be lost due to the government’s negligence?” Arappor Iyakkam convenor Jayaram Venkatesan asked, demanding immediate action against officials responsible for the negligence. He urged the state government to provide a compensation of Rs 1 crore to Varalakshmi’s family and to bear all education related expenses of her two children.