Chennai: Rajkumar of Mullai Nagar, who was asleep with his two children and wife, was unaware of the midnight rains and suddenly woke up at 3.30 AM due to water entering his homes through the clogged drains. By the time, he could wake up and set everything right, the water breached all the rooms in his home except the kitchen. The sight distressed him and led to fear that the situation might soon turn into a deluge like 2015.
The heavy rains started lashing Chennai on Saturday night and continued till Monday. The overnight rain on Saturday alone recorded over 200mm of rainfall resulting in a flood-like situation. With this and after a pause on Tuesday, heavy to very heavy spells are likely to start once again in Chennai and neighbouring areas from Wednesday due to intensifying low-pressure forming over the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday.
However, many homes especially in North Chennai are already inundated with rainwater and sewage. The residents have no hope of recovery within Tuesday. They also fear that the rains predicted for Wednesday will just come as a blow to the already inundated areas and force them to relive the nightmare of Chennai Floods that were experienced in 2015.
Talking to ABP, Rajkumar said, "I spent the sleepless night with my family on a cramped cot and sent my children to my relative's home the next day. My wife and I lived together on the same cot in our home until rain halted on Tuesday."
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"Now, the water level in our homes has receded but if rains start on Wednesday then the situation will just get back to the scenario on Sunday. I fear to re-live the nightmares of 2015 and hope the government take initiatives to help us this time," he said.
Like Rajkumar's home, several other houses were inundated in the overnight rains in parts of Chennai -- Dhamodharan Nagar, Golden Nagar, MGR Nagar, Sathiya Nagar and Udhaya Suriyan Nagar. While water resided in some places on Tuesday, the water is yet to recede in several other areas of North Chennai. Electric appliances and dresses were destroyed due to the flood-like situation in these areas. They also fear that another rain will lead to floods and more damage.
Meanwhile, the situation in South Chennai is no different with some of them reporting flooding and inundation of homes. In Chitlapakkam, the rainwater laced with gravel and sewage flooded Kannapar Street. Natarajan, a resident of Kannapar Street said, "For the past 25 years, the flood situation has remained the same. We were badly affected in the 2015 floods and had to stay without food, water or electricity for several days."
"We pray that the situation does not worsen on Wednesday,” he said. The Tambaram Corporation officials have started to drain out the water in the vicinity with the help of a residents movement.
Further, along with the Chennai Corporation, volunteers have also started to help the residents in the need.
Volunteers Get Back To Field
The volunteers who worked during the catastrophic Chennai Floods 2015 and Cyclone Vardha in 2016 have gotten back to the field to extend help to the affected. Loganathan, who is distributing food and essentials to the people of North Chennai including RK Nagar, Korukupet, VOC Nagar and Kannagi Nagar said, “The water has already entered into the homes located in the low-lying areas. Most of the slum hamlets are already affected by the rain. All of them are daily wage labourers and they are unable to attend work due to the situation.”
“As a result, they urge us to provide food and we are arranging for food and other necessities,” he said. “Till now, they have not been moved to Chennai Corporation shelters and we hope they will be shifted immediately if rain starts to increase,” he said.
If rains continue, Loganathan said, Korukupet, Kannagi Nagar, Karumari Nagar, VOC Nagar, RK Nagar and many parts of North Chennai with large numbers of slum-dwellers will be badly affected.
However, Chennai Corporation and Tamil Nadu government is readying all the essentials in war-footing. The Corporation has drained out the water on several roads and is organising community kitchens, shelters and have set up medical camps to help the public. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who is in the field for the past two days, has also ordered Amma canteens in Chennai to distribute food for free due to the rains.