Chennai received 60 mm of rainfall up to 9.30 p.m. on Friday. Several areas were flooded in the morning but the rain eased as the day progressed and normal life returned.
According to data compiled by the Integrated Command and Control Centre of the Greater Chennai Corporation in Ripon Buildings up to 9.30 p.m. on Friday, Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar received the highest rainfall of 85.2 mm during the period. Meenambakkam recorded 84.9 mm, Anna Nagar 77.4 mm, Vanagaram 75.6 mm, Kodambakkam 73.8 mm, Teynampet 73.2 mm and Adyar 72 mm.
The Corporation received 34 complaints about water stagnation on helpline 1913 on Friday. The civic body installed additional pumps with high capacity to bale out water in areas such as Pulianthope, Kolathur and Adambakkam.
CM inspects areas
On Friday, after 9.30 p.m., Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inspected low-lying areas such as Kalki Nagar and AGS Colony to facilitate pumping of water to Veerangal Odai.
High capacity pumps have been brought from areas such as Tiruvannamalai to bale out water in low-lying areas of Chennai. Of the 910 pumps, 240 are high capacity ones. As many as 40 high capacity pumps were deployed on Friday.
During Friday morning, Minister for Municipal Administration and Water Supply K.N. Nehru visited Ripon Buildings and directed the officials to make arrangements for improving preparedness ahead of the rain.
“Chennai has received 485.8 mm rainfall during the period from November 1 to 10. A total of 92 trees have been uprooted. All trees have been removed and traffic restored. A total of 82 pumps have been deployed in Kolathur to bale out water,” he said. The team of officials led by Mr. Nehru inspected roads such as Besant Road, Dams Road and G.P. Road to inspect flood preparedness.
Officials have been directed to keep 169 relief shelters open in the event of flooding in low-lying areas near waterbodies. Arrangements have been made to be prepared to supply food for 2 lakh persons at a time in these shelters.
The Corporation has instructed contractors to take steps to prevent accidents in locations where drain work has been incomplete. Barricades will be erected in all such areas. Residents are requested to call Corporation helpline 1913 to report civic issues, the Minister said.
Officials said nearly 19,500 workers of the Corporation and 2,000 from the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Boad (CMWSSB) have been deployed to prevent inundation in roads. A total of 177 jet-rodding machines of water board, 85 vehicles for pumping sewage and 300 machines for clearing clogged drains have been deployed.
Chennai Corporation workers clearing water from Beach Road on Friday | Photo Credit: S.R. Raghunathan
