Rains lash Chennai, CM Stalin visits flooded localities

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.

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.