Commercial flights have also started from the Rajali naval air station in Arakkonam near Chennai, but operations are limited as of now.
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Chennai airport, where operations were suspended till Sunday in the wake of floods, will partially resume flight operations from tomorrow morning with the runway found to be safe for landings and departures.
The status of deployment of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, Army columns, Air Force helicopters and boats provided by the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and NDRF was discussed at the meeting.
India’s main monsoon season runs from June through September, but the period from October to December – also called the retreating monsoon – brings the most rainfall to India’s southeastern coastal areas.
“The US is in touch with the Government of India to discuss ways that we can provide any assistance at this hard time”, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Thursday.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had yesterday conducted separate aerial surveys of the areas battered by the unprecedented rains that have killed 269 people till now.
He said: “The Government of India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Tamil Nadu in this hour of need”.
There were power outages in several parts of Tamil Nadu’s capital after heavy rains that have been going on since Tuesday caused rivers and tanks to overflow and flood the city.
News reports said flood waters released from a lake on the outskirts of Chennai inundated more neighborhoods in the city.
Houses are submerged in floodwaters in Chennai.
The developing situation in Chennai reveals once more that India’s cities are not equipped to deal with extreme weather conditions, which are becoming–and will become–more frequent and intense with the changing climate conditions being faced globally.
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“There are people who haven’t eaten for days”. The NDRF, which has so far rescued over 9,000 people stranded by the rains, is expected to step up its efforts Friday as the region becomes more accessible.
