Heavy Rains Raise the Death Toll to 59 in Chennai
Continued heavy rains in Chennai disrupt the normal flow of life.
North-East Monsoon continues to batter several parts of Tamil Nadu taking up the death toll up to 59. Normal life was thrown out of gear with heavy rains pounding the city, suburbs and neighbouring districts disrupting rail and road traffic.
Schools and colleges in northern districts including Chennai, Vellore, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram remained closed. Office-goers in the state’s capital city had a harrowing time as they had to wade through knee-deep and, in some places, waist-deep waters.
The rain has also hit vehicular movement hard. Long lines of vehicles lined up everywhere and rubber road barricades were seen floating about. About 100 trees were uprooted in several parts of the city.
Subways dotting GST Road linking southern suburbs like Adambakkam, Madipakkam and Pazhavanthangal with the city saw severe water-logging slowing down office-goers. Power supply was disrupted in some areas. Neighbouring districts of Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram too witnessed heavy rain. Several lakes in Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram like the sprawling Madurantakam Eri received copious water. Also, the water level in the reservoirs that supply drinking water to Chennai – Red Hills, Cholavaram, Chembarambakkam and Poondi – has increased.
Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa offered her condolences to the bereaved family members of the dead and announced four lakh rupees from the Disaster Relief Fund to each to of their families as assistance. The weather office forecast rains in many places in southern districts with heavy rains in some areas and over a few places in northern Tamil Nadu for the next few days.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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