As many as 14 people have lost their lives in Tamil Nadu due to heavy rains, said Kumar Jayanth, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department on Thursday. “Till now, 14 people have lost their lives in the state due to heavy rains. Due to overnight rainfall, there is waterlogging in parts of Chennai today. 13 subways waterlogged will be cleared, 160 fallen trees removed. In last four days, almost 20 lakh people given food packets in Chennai,” said Kumar Jayanth.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Chennai said that extremely heavy to heavy rainfall is likely to occur in six districts of Tamil Nadu. “The depression over southwest Bay of Bengal lies about 140 km southeast of Chennai. The depression will cross between north Tamil Nadu and south around Chennai by Thursday evening,” IMD Chennai’s Deputy Director-General S. Balachandran said. He further said that strong winds will prevail and “extremely heavy to heavy rainfall likely to occur in six districts”.
Heavy rains continued to lash Chennai and its nearby areas on Thursday morning, affecting vehicular movement and causing waterlogging in several parts of the city including the areas of Nungambakkam, Sterling road, KMC Hospital road. The office of Divisional Railway Manager of Southern Railway, Chennai on Thursday said that the majority of the services from MAS to Tiruvallur had been suspended due to waterlogging of tracks at Avadi and Ambattur.
“Dear passengers, due to waterlogging of tracks at Avadi and Ambattur, most of the services from MAS to Tiruvallur have been suspended. There are delays on the north side towards Gummidipoondi due to heavy rains between Tiruvottiyur and Korukkupet. Please plan travel accordingly,” said DRM, Chennai.
ESI Hospital located in Chennai’s KK Nagar was water-logged on Thursday due to heavy rains. All the facilities including OPDs are operational in the hospital with the available manpower. “The hospital wards including COVID19 wards are not affected,” said Dr Mahesh of ESI hospital. Chennai’s popular Marina beach was flooded due to heavy rains.
The Chennai International Airport on Thursday suspended arrivals at the airport due to severe rain and heavy crosswinds in the city. The arrivals were suspended from 1:15 pm till 6 pm, however, departures continued.
Amid heavy rainfall and waterlogging in the state, TP Chatram Police Station Inspector Rajeshwari on Thursday carried an unconscious man on her shoulder to an autorickshaw so that he could be taken to hospital quickly. Police Commissioner (Chennai) Shankar Jiwal appreciated her deed. “She did excellent work by helping the man. Within 10-15 minutes she took the man to the rescue team and he was transported to the hospital. She has always been a great officer. We have come here to meet her and appreciate her,” he said. Rajeshwari detailed how she received information about the man and gave an update on the health of the man. “We were working on removing a big tree that had fallen when I received information about the man who had fallen unconscious in the cemetery. He works in the cemetery. I gave first aid and then carried him. An auto came there and we sent him to hospital. I visited the hospital and his mother was there. I assured them not to worry as the police department would support them. I talked to the doctor and he said that treatment is on and there’s nothing to worry about,” she said.