Fresh Challenges For Chennai Flooded For Days Now: 10 Developments

Municipal workers have launched a huge cleaning operation all over Chennai, removing the slush off streets and pouring bleaching powder in an effort to sanitise areas which have been under water after days of torrential rain.

Supplying drinking water is a major challenge as authorities fear groundwater facilities may be contaminated in several areas. Water tankers have been pressed to bring drinking water to places. There is also a lack of milk, food supplies and electricity in many parts.

Commercial flights at the Chennai airport will start from 6 am today, Press Trust of India reported. The airport has opened for limited flights to help bring relief supplies.

The Met department has predicted light to moderate rainfall till Sunday. Intermittent rain continued in parts of Chennai on Saturday.

While ministers claimed 85 per cent of power supplies has been restored, telephones, bus and train are also in partial operation, residents in several parts have expressed anger over the government's response.

Water levels in Adyar and Cooum Rivers are down. Areas such as Kotturpuram, Mudichur, Pallikaranai, Velachery, Munipakkam, Thoraipakkam, Tambaram and Sholinganallur are still waterlogged. Power supply is still out in severely waterlogged areas.

Connectivity still remains a huge challenge with power outages and mobile signals weak in most areas. Long queues are being reported outside petrol pumps and ATMs.

More than 16,000 people have been evacuated by the National Disaster Response Force. Thousands more have been rescued by the Army and state disaster response teams.

Torrential rains have left at least 245 people dead since October 1. At least 18 hospital patients died after rainwaters knocked out generators and switched off ventilators, officials said.

Schools, colleges and offices in Chennai have been closed and exams have been postponed.