Tamil Nadu: Chennai Flooded By Northeast Monsoon Showers

Heavy rainfall has occurred in Chennai and nearby districts over the past few days due to the arrival of the northeast monsoon.

Many areas of the city have seen waterlogging, power outages and traffic snarls as a result of the rainfall. Water entered houses in areas like Pulianthope, Vyasarpadi  Thiruvottiyur and Korattur.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy downpours in the next 24 hours.

Two people were killed in rain-related incidents. Shanthi, a 45-year-old woman from died after a concrete slab fell on her and an auto driver, Devendhiran, got electrocuted to death.

Schools and colleges have been closed in seven districts of the state.

On Wednesday (2 November) Tamil Nadu Minister of Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply, KN Nehru said a total of 205.47 mm of rainfall was recorded in Chennai between 31 October and 2 November.

Among the city-areas, Nungambakkam received 8 cm of rainfall on Monday (the highest in three decades) while suburbs like Red Hills and Perambur received 13 and 12 cm respectively.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin chaired a meeting via video conference with district collectors and other officials to take stock of the situation.

After the meeting he said that the state may get 35 per cent to 75 per cent more rain. Regarding the water levels in the dams, he said that the storage levels in 43 dams reached 75 per cent to 100 per cent of the capacity.

While some journalists and politicians of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have been praising Stalin and speaking about how certain areas that used to be flooded regularly earlier, are now free of waterlogging, common people have questioned the efficacy of the flood prevention works, especially the desilting of stormwater drains by the Chennai Municipal Corporation.