Chennai marooned, transportation thrown out of gear

Chennai: The city of Chennai, one of the aspirants for Smart City status, seemed to have gone back years in time. Unprecedented rainfall of 300 mm in a single day on Tuesday (accuweather.com) reduced the city to one massive sheet of water thanks to the release of water from the water bodies around the city.

The death toll in the rains that have lashed the city and other parts of state has gone up to 197, officials said. Its airport may stay shut for a few more days even as trains, long-distance and commuter, struggled through waterlogged tracks and buses stayed confined to their parking areas as the arterial Anna Salai, running north-south across the city, was divided into two clear segments.

The overflowing Adyar river and water from Poondi reservoir — conservatively estimated to be about 20,000 cusecs — smashed the city’s infrastructure of roads and drains, affecting people across the income spectrum.

The armed forces of the nation the city’s and its disaster recovery teams were stretched in their sinews to help the marooned as thousands of people struggled to keep their heads above water.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the flood situation and discussed it with his Cabinet colleagues. He spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and assured her all possible support and cooperation.