Tamil Nadu   

Less rain, but flooding persists

City Bureau

Okkiyam Thoraipakkam residents complain of waist-deep water Okkiyam Thoraipakkam residents complain of waist-deep water

CHENNAI: Chennai has been experiencing much less rain in the past three or four days than last fortnight. But the city and its suburbs continue to be inundated, even as Revenue and civic officials carry out relief activity.

The low-pressure area off the coast weakened into a trough, causing occasional showers on Friday. Between 8.30 a.m. and 8.30 p.m. on Friday, Nungambakkam received 12.6 mm and Meenambakkam 9.1 mm. of rainfall.

The city has received three times the normal rainfall up to November 9. Rainfall recorded from October 1 to November 9 was 1264.6 mm. Normal rainfall during the period is only 386.3 mm.

Residents of suburban Okkiyam Thoraipakkam said said there was waist-deep water in their colonies. People use improvised boats to commute. Ward member Suseda Kumara Dev said there were no proper channels to drain out floodwater, especially after the Slum Clearance Board tenements were built. Water is yet to drain out in western suburbs such as Ambattur and Thirumullaivoyal and in Ram Nagar in the South.

The breached embankments of Arapth Eri, near Thirumullaivoyal, have been re-built. But roads in the area remain battered causing hardship to motorists.

In half-a-dozen colonies in Virugambakkam, inundation continues and residents said they were afraid that sewer mixed with the rainwater. "There is no way the water can drain out and we continue to wade in water. This will cause several health problems," a resident said.

In Kilpauk, residents of Landons Road complained that water had been stagnant for several days.

Although Chennai Corporation officials said relief distribution was being carried out in various parts of the city, residents complained about delay in distribution in many colonies.

A `road roko' was staged at Nadhamuni Junction, Villivakkam, by residents demanding relief. Agitations were staged at Nerkundram and near Kilpauk Water Works.

A raid conducted by the Civil Supplies Department, along with the police, in Tirumangalam resulted in the seizure of several old ration cards, allegedly used by Public Distribution System employees to divert relief, including cash.

An internal investigation would be done, officials said.

The Red Hills reservoir is filling up fast.

On Friday morning, the inflow was 1,140 cusecs and storage 2,481 mcft against the full capacity of 3,300 mcft.

Water level in the reservoir is just four ft. below full level.

In Poondi, the water level is three ft. below the full level. However, the rate of inflow was only 382 cusecs as there was no rain in the area.

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