Chennai: The North-East monsoon continued to wreak havoc in Tamil Nadu with rains pounding the northern coastal districts and more being forecast for the coming days in the state, where the death toll has climbed to 71.
Twelve more people have been killed in incidents of drowning and wall-collapse between November 11 and 15, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said as she also took stock of the situation at a review meeting with her cabinet colleagues and officials.
Condoling the death of the victims, she announced a relief of Rs 400,000 each to their families. Normal life has been hit in Tamil Nadu as incessant rains led to inundation of large areas and authorities have shut down educational institutions. The weather office forecast heavy downpour in the next three days in the state, Puducherry, and coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Overnight rains pounded Chennai and its suburbs, giving citizens a harrowing time. Subways at T Nagar and Saidapet in the city were inundated, resulting in their closure. In Chennai, residents had a harrowing time due to water-logging and delay in train services. Several areas, including Mylapore (South Chennai), Vysarpadi and Perambur (North Chennai) have remained inundated due to flooding.
As several water bodies breached their banks, hundreds of families living along Adyar river and other low lying areas were being evacuated to safer places. With roads and rail tracks submerged in water, major city stretches including Koyambedu, the place that houses city’s largest bus stand, have been sealed off by authorities. Traffic is being diverted creating blocks that stretches up to several kilometres from city’s southern gateway. Boats are being used in flooded areas to rescue stranded people.
Chennai had been experiencing continuous rains since Saturday night with the spell reduced to a drizzle on Monday.
