The worst deluge in a century in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu paralyzed Chennai, closing offices, automobile factories and the airport in a city with about as many people as Singapore.
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Many persons and companies have came forward to help people by various means so that they can come out of this disaster and stay safe with their basic eminities being covered up. According to local media, the rains have set a 100-year-old record in the city, which is home to about 6 million people.
Schools have been forced to close and exams have been postponed at least for this week. It predicted “scattered heavy to isolated very heavy rainfall over coastal districts”, and “isolated extremely heavy rainfall” during the rest of the week for Chennai.
The Rajali Naval air station near Arakonam, about 70 km from Tamil Nadu capital, will be converted into a make-shift airport for commercial flights after the Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced shutting down the Chennai Airport.
People could be seen wading in waist-deep water in several parts of Chennai.
Almost 200 people have lost their lives in rain related incidents, and the Meteorological department says that the worst is not yet over.
Chennai received 34.5cm rain in the past 24 hours.
Hundreds of divers and army rescue teams have also entered flooded homes, taking the injured to hospitals.
Auto majors Hyundai, Ford and Renault have temporarily suspended operations at their plants in Chennai due to floods.
Indian Government has even called the Indian Army for rescue operations in Chennai.
New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took stock of the flood situation in Tamil Nadu and discussed it with his cabinet colleagues, including the Home and Finance Ministers.
Modi yesterday spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and assured her all possible support and cooperation from the Centre, he said.
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Parrikar added that additional rescue personnel and troops were now standing by, but stressed that transport remained a problem due to the closure of Chennai airport.
