Tamil Nadu rains: Extended, core areas affected too

Thillai Ganga Nagar, Ram Nagar in Velachery and Madipakkam, low-lying localities in Pallikaranai, Thoraipakkam, Vijaya Nagar, Tansi Nagar, Keelkattalai, Kovilambakkam were the other suburbs affected by the deluge. Interestingly, in the north, Royapuram resident Ernest Paul and Somasundaram, a resident of Jagannathan colony in Perambur, told DC that their areas had escaped water stagnation. “There is only ankle deep stagnation and the locals here are working overtime to divert water into manholes,” he said.

“But the drinking water is mixed with sewage and this problem has persisted since the start of rainfall,” lamented Somasundaram, before adding that stagnation was high in surrounding areas of Kolathur and Ranga Sai street. However, it was not all smooth sailing for north Chennai. New Washermanpet, Tondiarpet and the Chief Minister’s constituency R.K. Nagar had hip-deep water stagnation by the end of the day. Along the coast, Palavakkam resident D.C. Babu said that water had not drained off from their areas even when the sun shone in the last week. “People are falling sick and now the rain water is entering our houses. There has been no power since morning,” he said.

Corporation officials told DC that they were working hard to mitigate the issue but acknowledged that the problem was much higher than the last week, when a six cm rainfall in a span of one hour crippled the city.