With the Chennai airport shut for operations till Sunday, December 6, the Rajali Naval air station near Arakonam, about 70 km from the Tamil Nadu capital, will be converted into a make-shift airport for commercial flights.
National carrier Air India test-landed an Airbus 320 that flew in from Hyderabad at the Navy base a little before 9 pm on Wednesday. "We are hopeful of passenger flights landing there from tomorrow," Press Trust of India quoted Defence Ministry sources as saying.
"By 6 am today, the situation had deteriorated severely, leading to submerging of entire operational area in approximately seven feet of water. All incoming flights were diverted to alternate airfields, except one international flight which was cleared due medical priority," said a statement by the government.
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90 passengers who were stranded at the airport have been sent to Bangalore by buses and another 200 have been transferred to the city, the statement said.
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50 trains have also been cancelled, with water flooding rail tracks.
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The Chennai Corporation has announced Emergency Contact Numbers for all the regional zones in the city. People can contact the following numbers in case of any emergency due to the floods.
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Helpline Numbers: Tiruvottiyur : 09445190001, Manali: 09445190002; Madhavaram: 9445190003, Ambattur: 9445190007; Tondiarpet: 9445190004, Royapuram: 9445190005; Annanagar: 9445190008, Teynampet: 9445190009, Alandur: 9445190012, Adyar: 9445190013,Perungudi: 9445190014
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