During the current 'North East Monsoon' rains of the year 2015, from October 2015 to December 2015, "Chennai"( 'Chennai' means all the places Including Chennai City, Chennai District, the Sub Urban Areas of Chennai, the nearby/interlinked Districts of Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram ) received heavy rains on 9thand 10th November 2015. The rains had been moderate on 11th and 12th of November 2015.
Due to the continuous- heavy rains for 2 days and non -stop rains for 2 more days, as above in 'Chennai', all the the low lying areas of 'Chennai' became inundated by 13th November 2015.
Again on 15thand 16th November 2015 'Chennai' received heavy rains and most of the areas of 'Chennai' became fully flooded with rain-water by 17th November 2015.
Due to the continuous- heavy rains for 2 days and non -stop rains for 2 more days, as above in 'Chennai', all the the low lying areas of 'Chennai' became inundated by 13th November 2015.
Again on 15thand 16th November 2015 'Chennai' received heavy rains and most of the areas of 'Chennai' became fully flooded with rain-water by 17th November 2015.
Many vehicles, especially cars got immersed in the flood waters on many road and streets of 'Chennai'.
After 2 weeks, on 01st December 2015 'Chennai' received heavy rains flooding the roads, streets, railways tracks in Chennai Egmore and Chennai Central Railway Stations,
Chennai Airport
and all the residential and commercial areas in 'Chennai'.
The power supply in most parts of the 'Chennai' were forced to be shut down to avoid electric shock, as the EB cables were soaked in flooding waters in many places.
The 'Telephones and Mobile Phones Net Works' were affected due to the flooding waters near and surrounding telephone and mobile net work towers.
The people of Chennai were forced to be without 'Telephonic /Mobile Communication' and Computers, Laptops, Android Mobiles, 'Whatsapps' and 'Facebook' etc., due to the failure of net works and due to power shut down.
The ATM’s of Banks could not function, due to the power shut down, lack of net work and absence of refilling of cash for obvious reasons.
Due to the floods local bus services and Electric Trains Services were suspended.
As the Petrol Bunks could not receive supply of Petroleum products, the supply of' fuels for vehicles were affected and the residents of Chennai suffered a lot in the matter of conveyance.
As the Petrol Bunks could not receive supply of Petroleum products, the supply of' fuels for vehicles were affected and the residents of Chennai suffered a lot in the matter of conveyance.
As the shops could not function, vegetables, milk packets and drinking water supply by packaged drinking water cans were not available to the residents of 'Chennai' during the flood affected period.
Due to lack supply of milk, it was reported that milk packets were sold at high rates, such as Rs 100/- per 500 ml. Many infants, children and elderly people were affected by the non availability of milk.
As the railways tracks were immersed in flood waters, the 'Southern Railways' cancelled many trains starting from / passing through 'Chennai Egmore' and 'Chennai Central', from 02nd December 2015 to 06thDecember 2015.
Due to the flooding in the runways of the 'Chennai Airport', the 'Chennai International Airport' was closed from 02nd December 2015 to 06thDecember 2015.
Due to the flooding of rain water, around and even inside many of the hospitals in 'Chennai' were closed and the in-patients had to be transferred out of such hospitals to safer places.
The flood waters entered the MIOT Hospitals, in Mount Poonamalle Road, Manappakkam and due to lack of power supply and 'oxygen'-cylinders, 14 patients in the ICU of the MIOT Hospitals died.
Due to the flooding waters of the heavy rains, many people staying on the banks of the 'Adyar /Couvam Rivers' in huts and even people living in concrete- roofed houses and apartments became homeless.
The houses in the 'Ground Floors' of independent houses and apartments got submerged in the flooding waters, causing many deaths, sufferings and loss / damage of domestic possessions, especially, Televisions, Sofa sets, Kitchen items including LPG Gas Cylinders.
Many two wheelers and four wheelers parked in the basements/ parking places and in the Ground Floors / on the roads were submerged in the flooding waters and obviously got damaged.
'Indian Army Personnel' and Volunteers from various 'Non Government Organizations' /'NGO's participated in the 'Rescue Operations' of the people stranded in the floods submerged houses, using Motor Boats& Fishing- Row Boats belonging to the fishermen of 'Chennai' and Rescue boats/ Floats.
On 02ndDecember 2015, ‘Chennai ‘was officially declared a‘Disaster Area’, affected by nature(rain) by the Union Government of India, as asked by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu State.
The Prime Minister of India, Mr.Narendra Modi made an 'Aerial Survey' of the 'Flood Affected Areas' of 'Chennai' on 03rd December 2015, from a helicopter.
When people had been stranded in their houses, being unable to go out of the flooded areas, food, cloths and medicines were supplied to them using helicopters by the Military, Government and Non Government Agencies.
On 05thDecember the ‘Cargo Flight Services’ had resumed and the ‘Passengers’ Flights Services resumed on 06th December. The trains’ services had been resuming from 06th December 2015.
According to the officials of the ‘Chennai City Corporation’, about 57,000 houses, mostly those of working class, in the Chennai City had suffered structural damage.
Earlier, 'Chennai' had received heavy rains in the years 2010 and 2005 However, it is reported that the heavy rains during the period from 9th November 2015 to 01st December 2015, has been the heaviest rainfall in the past 100 years of the history of Chennai.
There are many natural and man made lakes in 'Chennai' for the management of heavy rains / storms water.
However, the 'storm water drainage systems' in the 'Chennai' is reportedly NOT MAINTAINED since many long years.
In many lakes in the 'Chennai', buildings have been constructed with / without approval of the 'Government Authorities' and many encroachments are reported in the lakes, reducing their effective areas.
Also, the banks of the lakes and the water passages out of the lakes have not been maintained properly.
Steps must be taken by the concerned authorities to strengthen the banks of the lakes and maintain the pipe lines and canals from the lakes, for effective water management.
Also, in the above process of water management in 'Chennai', the 'Adyar River' and the 'Coovam River' in the Chennai City must be cleaned, deepened and maintained out of contamination, according to the already pending plans for the same.