CHENNAI THE HINDU WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015 CITY | 3 Dec 02,Wed Dec 03,Thu Dec 04,Fri

RISE 06 16 SET 17 41 RISE 06 17 SET 17 42 RISE 06 17 SET 17 42 RISE 23 38 SET 11 12 RISE 00 00 SET 12 12 RISE 00 25 SET 12 52 It turns out to be a terrible Tuesday for southern suburbs Breaches in lakes in Mannivakkam, Mudichur, Varadarajapuram and West led to swift inundation of entire neighbourhoods

VIVEK NARAYANAN

CHENNAI: Tambaram and sur- rounding areas once again bore the brunt of the rains, with thousands of residents forced to leave their homes again. Breaches in lakes in Manni- vakkam, Mudichur, Varadara- japuram and West Tambaram led to swift inundation of en- tire neighbourhoods in their vicinity. Breaches on the bunds of Mudichur lake caused con- siderable damage, residents said. Water overflowing from this lake flooded Mudichur Main Road that connects Tambaram and Wallajahbad via Mannivakkam and Padap- pai. People were seen travell- In Semmancherry, residents leave their inundated houses; train services between Tambaram and Chennai Beach were disrupted due to waterlogging of the tracks; vehicles on the flooded Tambaram-Velacherry Main Road ing in tractors and trucks — PHOTO: M. KARUNAKARAN, G. KRISHNASWAMY, K.V. SRINIVASAN from their homes to safer places in other areas of West people from Lakshmi Nagar has a rescue team with a trac- cluding those in intensive 108 ambulance service said. to ferry residents to safety,” a ernment Hospital, Institute of Thoracic Medicine in Tamba- Tambaram. alone,” P. Damodaran, presi- tor or other bigger vehicle,” medical care unit. According Apart from West Tamba- senior TNFRS officer said. Obstetrics and Gynaecology ram Sanatorium, there is “It is frightening. It has dent of Mudichur village pan- said a police officer. to officials in Fire ram, Mudichur and Varadara- Firemen rescued 46 pa- and Institute of Child Health waist-deep water from the been nearly 20 years since I chayat, said. and Rescue Services japuram, other severely af- tients undergoing treatment and Hospital, both in . main entrance to the wards came to Chennai from Delhi. They are also being helped Patients rescued (TNFRS) Department, over fected areas include in Tambaram Taluk Govern- Five patients are still stranded and the administrative build- I have never seen such a rain by the Coastal Security People undergoing treat- 200 firemen are currently de- , Tirumudivak- ment Hospital in Chromepet on the first floor at the hospi- ing. Boats have been deployed and flooding,” said N. Arun, a Group. Meanwhile, the City ment at Tambaram Taluk ployed in Tambaram and sur- kam, and Guduvan- and helped them shift to other tal, also known as Chromepet to help patients and staff. resident of Mannivakkam. police have also formed sev- Government Hospital were rounding areas alone to res- chery due to the breaching of hospitals in the city. They GH, and will be shifted by There are more than 450 in- Madanandapuram and en exclusive teams with boats rescued after the hospital was cue the stranded. Five lakes. were taken on stretchers and Wednesday morning. Water patients and 10 staff and care- Lakshmi Nagar were among to rescue people. “Each team flooded to a level of three feet ambulances have been sent to “We used our six boats and shifted to ambulances waiting had stagnated to a height of 5.5 givers in the hospital. Doctors areas that were severely af- will have ten people. Besides of water inside it. More than the hospital from the city, an also borrowed a few from the near the entrance and were feet inside the hospital. At are hoping that the water will fected. “We rescued 1,000 this, each police station also 50 patients were rescued, in- official of theState-assisted State Fisheries Department shifted to Rajiv Gandhi Gov- Government Hospital for recede on Wednesday. Residents asked to keep GST Road closed for traffic Social media comes to from waterbodies rescue of the stranded As the water flow increased later in the day, traffic was suspended from 3 p.m. STAFF REPORTER S. POORVAJA Salai (Old V. V ENKATASUBRAMANIAN Road) was flooded between KANCHEEPURAM: J. Mutharasi, Su- CHENNAI: Arvind Raj posted Navalur and . perintendent of Police, Kan- KANCHEEPURAM: The Grand on microblogging site Twit- Sounding a warning about cheepuram Police District, Southern Trunk Road (Na- ter on Tuesday asking for the the rains that would contin- has urged residents to avoid tional Highway 45) between safest route to travel from ue to lash the city, the Tamil- excursions to waterbodies. Tambaram and Taramani to NaduWeatherMan page on The word of caution fol- was closed for traffic from and his query was met with Facebook posted at 2 p.m. on lows many instances of peo- Tuesday afternoon due to immediate responses from Tuesday that their rain up- ple heading to lakes and tanks flooding at several points on people cautioning him date was a ‘Go home/ Stay at filled with floodwater, out of the 35-kilometre stretch. against travelling through home’ update asking people curiosity. Police allowed two-way the stretch, which was wa- to go home immediately in- She has also asked them not traffic on one side of the road terlogged. stead of waiting for the to venture out in their vehi- between Tambaram and The rains, which did not downpour to abate. cles in view of the incessant The Madurantakam lake in Chengalpattu in the morning cease through the day on Photos of flooded roads in downpour and subsequent Kancheepuram district when the water started flow- Tuesday, saw many turn to Urapakkam, Mudichur, Ava- attracts a lot of visitors flooding. ing across the carriageway at Facebook and Twitter for di, Kathipara and Thoraipak- — PHOTO: D. GOPALAKRISHNAN Nandivaram-Guduvanchery, help while being stranded in kam were shared by weather Holiday declared institutions in Kancheepuram , Vandalur traffic or getting trapped in bloggers such as Chennai MeanwhileDistrict Collec- district will remain closed on and many places. As the wa- inundated houses. In a re- Weather and Chennaiyil Oru tor R. Gajalakshmi has an- December 2, in view of the ter flow increased later in the peat of what happened dur- Mazhaikalam, both of which nounced that all educational heavy rain. day, traffic was suspended ing the floods that crippled have a combined following from 3 p.m. the city a few weeks ago, us- of over 26,000 people online. Police said the possibility ers such as @imprasath on A video of a pothole of Ra- of diverting traffic through Twitter said they had a space jiv Gandhi Salai, not too far Control rooms opened at Mannivakkam and for people stranded in the from — where to reach did not rain to be accommodated. water began gushing out like work out due to waterlogging Other users such as Usha a fountain — went viral on- Tambaram, Kancheepuram on the carriageway as surplus Arun took to the social line, coming close on the water from several tanks media platform to warn peo- heels of the road cave-in at STAFF REPORTER People living in flood-af- started overflowing. ple about how Rajiv Gandhi on Monday. fected areas can contact these Subsequently, mofussil CHENNAI: The Kancheepuram numbers in the event of an buses from were district administration has es- emergency. diverted to Sriperumpudur tablished control rooms at the Kancheepuram: 044 2723 from where they were divert- Video of man being district headquarters in Kan- 7107, 044 2723 7207, Tamba- ed to reach Chengalpattu via cheepuram and also in Tam- ram: 94450 51077, 74017 64105, Wallajahbad, Oragadam and Traffic diversions were effected on Grand Southern Trunk Road following flooding of several baram. 72994 35270. Vallakottai. parts of the arterial stretch — PHOTO: G. KRISHNASWAMY saved goes viral

STAFF REPORTER unable to move forward as rainwater gushes from one Vandalur zoo to be closed today CHENNAI: The deluge on Tues- side of the road to another. This monsoon may set day also saw quite a few in- From the traffic that has spiring stories. Responsible built up on one side of the D. MADHAVAN Road, a State Highway, col- safe in its 160 enclosures at citizens rose to the occasion road, motorists and pedes- lapsed at five spots due to the zoo. and reached out to those in trians can be seen forming a new records for State CHENNAI: The heavy rain has heavy rain. Rainwater — pri- “The damage is only on the distress. There was all round human chain and pulling the damaged the compound wall marily surplus water over- peripheral boundary of the appreciation for these Good man up from knee-deep wa- Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram most affected by Tuesday’s rains around Arignar Anna Zoolog- flowing from lakes between zoo. The animals are not af- Samaritains, as was evident ter. “Near Vivekananda Col- ical Park in Vandalur. All ani- Vandalur and Guduvanchery fected. The damaged wall will on social media. lege and Gandhi Mandapam, K. LAKSHMI mals are safe, zoo authorities — entered the zoo. Officials be restored only after the The video of a man being motorists and pedestrians said. told The Hindu that all ani- rains stop,” a senior official rescued after he was trapped were seen directing traffic CHENNAI: This northeast mon- According to the zoo offi- mals — 46 endangered spe- said. in floodwaters on a road near and helping others walk to a soon seems to be on its way cials, the wall on the 12-km cies, 63 species of birds and 47 The rain has forced officials Padappai went viral online higher ground,” said K. Ma- to create new records for the Vandalur- varieties of mammals — were to shut down the zoo on on Tuesday. The man, pre- noharan, a resident of State. Wednesday. But the regular sumably a pedestrian, seems . While the previous spells maintenance of the facility ravaged Cuddalore and Pu- will be followed. Everyday, on ducherry, the north coastal CHENNAI TODAY an average, around 5,000 vis- districts of Chennai, Tiru- itors come to the zoo. vallur and Kancheepuram RELIGION ple’s Educational Trust: Meeting, “As of now, the decision to were the most affected by Ramayanam: R. Krishnamurthy, Sri Kavery Colony, 24th St., close the zoo was taken only East, 6-30 p.m. Tuesday’s torrential Sankara Gurukulam, 8/20, C.P. Ra- for Wednesday. Extension of maswamy St., Abhiramapuram, 7 downpour. p.m. the closure period will be Narcotics Anonymous: Meeting, Though there is still a Bhagavatham: Suprajananda, Ra- based on weather update,” an Staying Clean Group, St. Lourdes makrishna Math, , 5-30 month for the monsoon to Church, Don Bosco School, Peram- official added. p.m.; B. Sundarkumar, P.S.B. Main wind up over the region, the bur, 7 p.m. Hall, Park Rd., near SBOA School, An- State has already registered Residents and cattle wade through rainwater at M.S.P. na Nagar West, 6-30 p.m. 53 cm of rainfall against its Nagar, , on Tuesday — PHOTO: M. VEDHAN Thiruppavai: T.G. Narayanaswamy, Al-Anon: Meetings, Police Commu- 273-B, 2nd Main Rd., Natesa Nagar, average of 44 cm. Chennai’s nity Hall, Kondithope, Walltax Rd.; Disclaimer: Readers are requested to verify & rainfall missed the record of 10 hours. Weather experts While 2015 is a strong El , 7 p.m. Shrine of Divine Mercy Church, Anna make appropriate enquiries to satisfy wettest November of the observe that even a trough Nino year favouring north- Jeevanmukti Vivekam: K.S. Mahes- Nagar East, Near Chinthamani; St. An- themselves about the veracity of an adver- waran, Sri Sankara Gurukulam, 8/20, drews Church, Gandhi Rd., Gudu- tisement before responding to any published in century by 39.1 mm. of low pressure or low-pres- east monsoon, it is not the C.P. Ramaswamy St., Abhiramapu- this newspaper. Kasturi & Sons Limited, the vancheri; Ambedkar Manram, Ashok Publisher & Owner of this newspaper, does not The all-time record of sure area can influence such only contributing factor that ram, 5 p.m. Nagar; The Lady of the Light Church, vouch for the authenticity of any advertisement heavy downpour was 1,088.4 huge volume of rains with a brought downpour over the CULTURE Luz, Mylapore; and Jacob MHSS., or advertiser or for any of the advertiser’s pro- Judges Colony, Periakuppam, Tiruval- ducts and/or services. In no event can the mm in November 1918. potential of deluge. Unlike a State. A complex interplay A.K.P. Fine Arts: Inauguration of Owner, Publisher, Printer, Editor, Director/s, Music and Dance festival, Vani Mahal, lur, 7 p.m. Employees of this newspaper/company be held Tuesday’s incessant rain deep depression or cyclone of global weather factors G.N. Chetty Rd., T.Nagar, 6 p.m. responsible/liable in any manner whatsoever for brought nearly 15 cm over that may cross the coast in a such as southern oscillation any claims and/or damages for advertisements GENERAL in this newspaper. Chennai till 6.30 p.m. in- day or two, these weather and Siberian High are also Alcoholics Anonymous: Meetings, Shree Geeta Bhavan Trust: Mass Loyola MHSS., United Colony, ching closer to decade’s systems that persists in the responsible for the heavy Wedding of 38 couples of differently ; St. Lukes Church, An- highest rainfall of 23 cm re- same area over the sea can spells, notes Y.E.A. Raj, for- abled/deserving men/women from na Nagar; Anglo Indian Association, ceived on December 3, 2005. impact cloud bursts and in- mer deputy director general the economically weaker sections, Ponniyamman Koil St., Egmore; Annai Minister B. Valarmathi participates, Several weather stations tense rains. Moreover, there of meteorology, Chennai. Velankanni Church, Besant Nagar; Avvai Shanmugam Salai, Gopalapu- C.S.I. Good Shepherd Church, Tara- in Chennai, Tiruvallur and was not much lull in north- There were years when ram, 8-30 a.m. mani Link Rd., ; Kondithope Kancheepuram districts re- east monsoon activity this the State received excess Gandhi Study Centre: Presentation Community Centre, Police Quarters, ceived very heavy rainfall to year when the State gets res- rainfall even without El Ni- of T.D. Tirumalai memorial prizes and Walltax Rd.; St. Mathias Church, awards, Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya Kamarajar Salai, K.K. Nagar; C.S.I. extremely heavy rainfall as pite with long dry spells. no. The year 2005 presents a Campus, Venkatnarayana Rd., T.Na- Church, ; and The Lady of in Chembarambakkam that This indicates the volatile classic example with 79 per gar, 11 a.m. the Light Church, Luz Church Rd., My- recorded 25 cm in less than nature of the monsoon. cent of surplus rains. Dr. Ambedkar Academy The Peo- lapore, 7 p.m.

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