On Saturday evening, as rains began lashing Chennai, memories of the dark days of December 2015 floods came back to haunt the people of the city. The lashing rains flooded over 40 localities. Chennai received 24.6cm rainfall in 24 hours, the highest since November 2005, according to the rain data centres.
While the downpour was the result of a low pressure formed in the Bay of Bengal, several areas in the city including T Nagar, Alwarpet, Royapettah, Vadapalani, Perambur, Vyasarpadi, Adyar, Nolambur, Maduravoyal, parts of Velacherry, Madipakkam, Ashok Nagar and Nungambakkam and city suburbs like Sholinganallur got inundated. The Greater Chennai Corporation got to work immediately, procuring boats to rescue residents from their houses. The corporation has also placed over 500 advanced pumping systems to pump the water out from the inundated areas and clear the storm water drains for smooth flow of water.
Stalin visits flooded areas
Meanwhile Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, along with his cabinet colleagues, was on the ground visiting the flooded areas. Stalin interacted with the residents and assured them of immediate relief. He also visited the control room in Chennai, set up to monitor the situation. At the control room he inquired about the calls received by the centre and the response to the calls. Later, addressing the media, Stalin said that he has ordered the authorities to distribute relief to the flood-affected people without any delay. He added that so far 50,000 food packets and other essentials were distributed to the affected people. He also announced holiday for government offices, schools and colleges till November 9. Stating that relief and rescue service instructions have been issued to the authorities to carry out relief work, together with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire and rescue services personnel and the police. “Two teams of NDRF have been sent to Madurai to carry out rescue tasks. Besides, two teams of state disaster response forces have been sent to Thanjavur and Cuddalore districts for rescue service,” he told the media.
PM calls CM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Stalin and promised all help for relief work. Modi tweeted, saying: “Spoke to Stalin and discussed the situation in the wake of heavy rainfall in parts of the state. Assured all possible support from the Centre.”
Precautionary measures
The state government has set up a monitoring committee to monitor the monsoon. The state control room has been instructed to work round the clock, and the general public can dial 1070 for help.
Reservoirs opened
Meanwhile, four reservoirs around Chennai—Chembarambakkam, Puzhal, Poondi and Maduranthakam—are being continuously monitored. On Sunday, Chembarambakkam reservoir was opened at 1.30pm and 500 cusecs of water was released, which was later increased to 2,000 cusecs. From Puzhal, yet another 2,000 cusecs of water was released on Sunday. Puzhal is one of the main sources of water to Chennai. Also surplus water from Poondi reservoir was released in a phased manner—upto 3,376 cusecs of water.
It may be recalled that excess water release from Chembarambakkam, in 2015, flooded south Chennai, which led to the disaster.
Northeast monsoon
Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon, which usually brings rains to Chennai and other coastal districts of Tamil Nadu during October-November, is expected to bring more rains for the next few days. The meteorological department had predicted heavy to very heavy rains till November 11. Sources in the department told The WEEK that another low pressure formation over the Bay of Bengal will bring more rains to Chennai during the next three days. Meteorological department director Puviyarasan said the city could record 20cm rainfall on November 10 and 11. “In Chennai, there was 40 per cent excess rainfall, compared to the rain levels during the northeast monsoon,” Puviyarasan said.
A statement from the meteorological department said that a low pressure is likely to form over southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood, which will bring heavy to very heavy rains for the next three days. “An upper air cyclonic circulation lies over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean extending up to 3.1 km above mean sea level.” The department has also predicted chances of squally winds of 40kmph to 50 kmph from November 9, along the Tamil Nadu coast and South Andhra Pradesh from November 11 and 12. The department has issued heavy rainfall combined with thunderstorm warning in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpet, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts of TN, Puducherry and Karaikal.
