Chennai: Tamil Nadu's capital city has been witnessing heavy waterlogging and 24-hour NDRF control room is closely monitoring the situation.
National Disaster Relief Force, NDRF sources as quoted by news agency ANI said, "To tackle the situation, 18 self-contained teams of NDRF have been deployed in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry in consultation with State authorities. Out of these, 11 teams are deployed in Tamil Nadu, two in Puducherry and five in Andhra Pradesh. Deployed teams are conducting evacuation work and providing help to the affected people in coordination with the local authorities."
After the suspension of flights from 1:15 pm to 6 pm on Thursday, Chennai International Airport has resumed flight operations. Chennai airport Director Dr Sharad Kumar, earlier in a statement, said that decision was taken for the safety of the passengers.
S Balachandran, Deputy Director General (DDG), IMD Chennai said, "As far as Chennai is concerned, current rainfall activities continue and at a few places heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected and some places expected to receive extremely heavy rainfall."
"Depression likely to cross between south Andhra, north Tamil Nadu coast around Chennai by evening. As far as rainfall for next 24 hours is concerned, a few places in Chennai, Tirvallur, Kanjivaram, Ranipet district are expected to get heavy to very heavy rain," added Balachandran.
Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai sounded thunderstorm alert at 2.45 pm. "Thunderstorm with heavy rain is likely to occur at one or two places over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram districts in the next three hours," said Regional Meterological Centre as quoted by ANI.
Several areas remain inundated and rescue operations are underway in South Chennai and teams came from Pudukkottai, Salem, Ramanathapuram and Thanjavur. Chennai's popular Marina beach area also got flooded. Around 150 personnel have come to Chennai for rescue operations, said Senthil Rajkumar, Fire Station Officer, Chennai, as quoted by news agency ANI. Kumar Jayanth, Principal Secretary of Revenue Department as quoted by ANI said 13 waterlogged subways will be cleared and 160 fallen trees will be removed.
Chief Minister M. K. Stalin held meetings with senior minister Duraimurgan, MRK Paneerselvam and senior officials at the Secretariat in Chennai. He also reviewed food preparations at Amma Canteens. Kumar Jayanth said that food packets have been distributed to almost 20 lakh people in the last four days in the capital city.
The death toll due to heavy rains in the state in the past 15 days has risen to 91, the Revenue Department said, adding that in the city alone, seven people lost their lives due to rain-related incidents. Heavy rains have been pounding the state since Sunday (Nov 7) following a low pressure in the south-eastern Bay of Bengal.
"Around 1.5 lakh acre corps have been damaged due to rain in the delta districts. In Thiruvarur, 50 thousand acres of crops, Cuddalore 25 thousand acres of crops, Nagapattinam 30 thousand acres of crops, Mayiladuthurai 20 thousand acres of crops and in Thanjavur 10 thousand acres of crops got submerged in the rain waters,"said Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran.
Chennai corporation has temporarily shut down major 11 subways and seven routes in the city due to the flood situation. The administration also alerted people to avoid using these subways and routes. Educational institutions have also been shut in 15 districts, which include Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur.
Tamil Nadu government had declared local holidays on November 10 and 11 for nine districts - Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, and Mayiladuthurai.
Also read: Eight flights cancelled in Chennai due to rains, winds
