Chennai: Non-stop torrential rains since last night pounded several parts of Chennai and its suburbs and Puducherry triggering a deluge completely disrupting normal life as army was deployed tonight in two suburban areas to undertake rescue on a war footing.
Two columns of army's Garrison Infantry Battalion have been pressed into service in Tambaram and Oorapakkam after the Tamil Nadu government sought military assistance. The Navy is also on stand-by.
All flight operations at Chennai airport were suspended tonight until further review and a number of flights disrupted as waters inundated the runway and the tarmac. Departures of flights have been allowed till 2330 hours while arrival has been suspended.
Chennai is witnessing worst showers in over 100 years. According to the MET department, heavy rains is expected in the city in the next 24 hours.
Airport operations in Chennai have been closed as the runway, taxiway and the aircraft bay is flooded due to rains. Many flights have been diverted to Bengaluru and as many have been cancelled as take off and landing has been called off.
Chennai Corporation has said that over 3500 people have been evacuated from the low lying areas. Flood alert has also been issued in the city.
Army has been called in for relief work. Coast Guard and Navy is on stand-by.
Train traffic has also been hit. Chennai Egmore trains have been cancelled as water has flooded the tracks.
The rains that have virtually broken a 100-year-old record with one day's rainfall covering a month's average also flooded areas in Vadapalani, Valasaravakkam and Nandamvakkam as nearby lakes overflowed into the city.
Adding to the woes, Chennai city and neighbouring districts braced for more rains as the Met deparment predicted heavy to very heavy rains in the next four days.
Most areas of Chennai, which have already been lashed by rains for over a fortnight, went under water today severely disrupting train and bus services and forcing postponment of half-yearly school exams and closure of schools in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.
A large part of the road near Madhya Kailash temple in the heart of the city in an area that connects the IT corridor, caved in resulting in a huge crater and disrupting traffic.
Even in hitherto unaffected areas, people complained that water entered their homes and roads flooded with surging waters. Several areas in the city went without power as supply was cut as a safety precaution.
The situation has worsened in suburban areas of Tambaram and Mudichur after the Chembarakam lake overflowed and an unprecedented 26,000 cusecs of water was being released flooding the downstream areas. These areas had already suffered heavily during the earlier spells of rains.
National Disaster Rescue Force has already despatched ten teams of which four are already in Chennai and the rest will be flying in tomorrow. “At the same time, we are also requisitioning teams from Bengaluru and Andhra Pradesh,” NDRF chief O P Singh said.
Rescue work will begin and NDRF would deploy more teams if required. Teams carrying boats will also be sent to Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.
With Tamil Nadu hit by floods,Prime Minister Narendra Modi today spoke to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and assured her all possible support and cooperation from the Centre.
“Spoke to Jayalalithaa ji on the flood situation in parts of Tamil Nadu. Assured all possible support & cooperation in this unfortunate hour,” Modi tweeted.
Most areas of Chennai have been inundated after heavy rains lashed the state, severely disrupting flights, train and bus services and forcing postponement of half-yearly school exams. The death toll in rain-related incidents touched 188.
Speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa said the unprecedented torrential and extremely heavy rains which is the heaviest recorded in the past more than 100 years and has battered the state's northern districts, especially, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Cuddalore.
She told Modi that the state machinery is fully geared to meet the challenge.
The state has deployed personnel of the State Disaster Response Force, the Fire and Rescue Service personnel, Coastal Security Group in all the affected places.
A flood alert has been issued along the banks of Adyar river here as surplus water from the Chembarambakkam reservoir have been let out in the river.
According to municipal administration, around 3,000 people living along the banks of Adyar have been relocated at safer place.
According to reports, three lakes in Kanchipuram district were breached due to heavy rains and inflows.
The weather department has warned of heavy rains in Chennai and northern Tamil Nadu over the next three days. The government has declared a holiday for schools in Chennai and neighbouring Kanchipuram district.
(With PTI Inputs)
