"Precautionary Measure": Chennai Civic Body Buys 36 Boats Ahead Of Monsoon, Shares Pics

Greater Chennai Corporation is taking proactive measures to prepare for the upcoming monsoon season. In a post on X, the civic body announced that they have purchased 36 boats to ensure readiness in case of heavy rainfall, distributing them across Zone 3, Zone 14, Madhavaram, and Perungudi. This move comes after the Regional Meteorological Centre forecasted normal to slightly above normal rainfall during the northeast monsoon. 

''Dear #Chennaiites, #GCC has purchased 36 boats as a precautionary measure in case of heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. Below are pictures of the boats distributed in Zone 3 &14. One boat to Zone 3 and two boats to Zone 14,'' the tweet read, along with a few pictures. 

See the post here:

Dear #Chennaiites,#GCC has purchased 36 boats as a precautionary measure in case of heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. Below are pictures of the boats distributed in Zone 3 &14. One boat to Zone 3 and two boats to Zone 14.#ChennaiCorporation#HereToServe#NalamiguChennai pic.twitter.com/8apDlfk8eG

— Greater Chennai Corporation (@chennaicorp) October 2, 2024

The northeast monsoon is expected to arrive by the third week of October, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), and it's likely to bring more rainfall than usual. This monsoon season typically runs from October to December, bringing much-needed rain to the southern peninsula.

To oversee monsoon preparedness, the government has also appointed 15 IAS officers, one for each zone. The officers will be in charge of preparedness, planning, relief and mitigation of all the zones in the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).

The GCC has also identified vulnerable areas, mapping and analysis, preparedness of institutional arrangements and pre-positioning of human resources. Additionally, the corporation is implementing various measures to enhance capacity building, including mitigation strategies, stakeholder sanitization, traffic management plans, communication channels, relief arrangements, and medical preparedness.

These measures follow the devastating Cyclone Michaung in December 2023, which brought 400 mm of rainfall in just two days, resulting in widespread flooding and waterlogging that claimed 17 lives and affected thousands. Several questions were raised on systemic issues and disaster preparedness. Local people had complained that relief operations were poor and there was no forewarning.