Chennai rain today: Several areas of Chennai and coastal Tamil Nadu were waterlogged.
Highlights
- Parts of Chennai have received as much as 30 cm rain since Thursday
- Several areas water-logged, traffic affected, airport operations normal
- More rain expected in next 24 hours, government assures precautions taken
Chennai and other parts of coastal Tamil Nadu braced for
more showers over the next 24 hours as rain returned on Friday evening after a brief break. Schools will be closed on Saturday and several areas remained waterlogged, adding to fears of a repeat of the 2015 floods. The government maintained there was no reason to panic and Chief Minister E Palaniswami visited various parts of Chennai hit by waterlogging. Flight operations at the city airport were normal, airport officials said.
Here are the 10 latest developments in this story:
A farmer was electrocuted at Manal Agaram near Tiruvarur when he stepped on a snapped electric wire lying under water in his field, police said, raising the number of deaths in rain-related incidents to eight since October 27, when the northeast monsoon arrived.
Several coastal pockets of Chennai remained water-logged after as much as 30 cm of rain in some areas since Thursday. The famous Marina beach front and service lanes were under water. Power cuts were reported in many parts of the city.
Schools and colleges, closed since October 31, remained shut in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, as the Tamil Nadu government appealed to private firms to allow their employees work from home.
Waterlogging affected traffic movement and a "signalling snag" partially hit train services between St Thomas Mount and Kodambakkam suburban section last night. Train services were normal this morning.
Amid fears of a repeat of the December 2015 deluge, the AIADMK government sought to dispel rumours. A government release said 105 relief camps have been set up in Chennai.
The coastal district of Nagapattinam continued to suffer monsoon fury, with incessant rains submerging houses and affecting standing crops over thousands of hectares.
The regional weather office has forecast heavy rains in the coastal districts, and thunderstorms in Chennai and its suburbs for the next 24 hours.
Chief Minister E Palaniswami, accompanied by cabinet colleagues including deputy O Panneerselvam, visited a few affected areas in Chennai including R K Nagar.
"Low-lying areas with water-logging were identified in the Chennai Corporation (limits) and Kancheepuram district. Workers (here) worked on a war-footing and stagnant water has been removed," Mr Palaniswami said.
In 2015, Chennai witnessed its worst floods in over a century in which over 150 people died. Hundreds more died in rest of the state and lakhs were displaced from their homes.
Chennai rains: The famous Marina beach front and service lanes were under water.