CHENNAI: The horror of 2015 floods returned on Monday with the slow-moving severe cyclonic storm Michaung pounding Chennai and its neighbouring districts with extremely heavy rainfall spells for the past 48 hours. At least eight people died in rain-related incidents as the city received a cumulative rainfall of a record 43cm from 8.30 am on Sunday to 5.30 pm on Monday. Some estimates put this figure as worse than the 2015 downpour that, along with reservoir releases, sank the city. Normalcy is expected to return on Tuesday after the rain eases, officials said.
However, on Monday few roads remained fully motorable, and many places experienced power outages despite the best efforts of the Chennai Corporation and other government agencies. The state government has announced that Tuesday too will be a public holiday in the worst-affected districts of Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu.
Air passengers found themselves stranded at the Chennai airport as five flights were cancelled and 23 diverted due to gale winds and an inundated runway. Telecommunications also took a hit as telephone exchanges blanked out due to power outages. At least 40 express trains connecting Chennai Central to Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Tirupati were cancelled due to waterlogging on tracks, with suburban train operations disrupted across all sections. Tracks submerged at Tambaram resulted in the cancellation of around 20 trains bound for southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which operated from Chennai Egmore.
Chief Minister MK Stalin, taking stock of the situation, described the rains that lashed the coastal districts as unprecedented. Stating that the state government is undertaking relief and rescue operations on a war-footing, he urged all political parties and volunteers to help the government overcome the natural disaster. Union Home Minister Amit Shah telephoned the CM and assured that all assistance will be provided by the Government of India. The CM explained the impact of the cyclone on Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts and requested deployment of additional NDRF forces. Once assessment of rain damage is done, appropriate aid will be sought from the union government, he told Shah.
One of the primary reasons for the unprecedented flooding, despite the state undertaking several measures, including regulated discharge of surplus water from the reservoirs, is that storm that stayed close to the Chennai coast and virtually blocked the city rivers from discharging flood waters into the sea. Meanwhile, Chennai police and Indian Army personnel, aside from disaster response personnel, rescued hundreds of stranded people from West Mambalam, Mugalivakkam and Manapakkam as well as other parts.
With the Water Resources Department discharging 1,000 cusecs of surplus water from the Chembarambakkam lake every half hour, after the lake reached maximum storage, residents in low-lying areas were alerted, and rescue teams from Kancheepuram were taking steps to evacuate citizens. Similarly, residents near the Poondi reservoir were alerted as the WRD discharged 17,000 cusecs from the facility.
Chennai Deluge
Transport
Trains cancelled as tracks under water
Over 40 express trains connecting Chennai Central to Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Tirupati were cancelled due to waterlogging on tracks.Tracks submerged at Tambaram resulted in cancellation of 20 trains bound for South TN & Kerala from Chennai Egmore
Flights
Chennai Airport closes, ops to resume today
Chennai Airport closed its airfield from 9.17am to 11pm on Monday. Five flights departing from Chennai were cancelled and 23 flights, prior to the shutting down of airfield. The arrival of two flights were also cancelled. Operations are likely to resume at 9am Tuesday
Rescue
5K staff from rest of tn roped in; 1.8K in shelters
According to Municipal Administration minister K N Nehru, “5,000 workers are called from other districts. Around 1,500 of them will be deployed in Chennai. Around 1,845 people are accommodated in relief centres and more are being evacuated from flood-affected areas
Stay home
Public holiday today in chennai, 3 nearby dists
Amid the heavy rainfall and inundation in several parts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, the state government has announced a public holiday for Tuesday as well. Firms have been asked to let staff work from home