Weathermen, freelance bloggers, and the IMD have been warning of heavy rains in Chennai for quite some time. And yet, Dravidian model of governance did not seem to pay heed to this warning.
The city of Chennai saw heavy rains from late evening on 14 October 2024. The rains are continuing to pour all over the city at the time of publishing this article. Weather experts predicted a low pressure as it is NEM season (North East Monsoon) with rains expected to continue pouring till 17/18 October 2024.
As a precaution, people living in the low-lying areas of Velachery, Pallikaranai (taking lessons from 2023 floods) parked their vehicles (cars mostly) before the rains began.
Let’s take a look at the inundation that has started in various parts of the city. It is ironic that the flooding is just after a few hours of rain.
OMR seemed to be the worst affected with nearly knee/hip deep water on the roads. Here are some videos circulating on social media.
சென்னை OMR சாலையில் எத்தனை மோட்டார் பம்புகள் படகு உள்ளது,
முதலில் அமைச்சர்கள் போட்டோ சூட் நாடகத்தை நிறுத்திவிட்டு மீட்பு பணிகளை செய்தால்தான் உருப்படும் @Udhaystalin , @mkstalin …#ChennaiRainsUpdate #ChennaiFloods pic.twitter.com/TaiN83Y9I8
— CTR.Nirmalkumar (@CTR_Nirmalkumar) October 15, 2024
15th October, 10:10 AM
It is really bad out here in #OMR near #Perungudi Toll. 3 Feet Water in the roads as there is no exit way for water near the Metro Pillars! Worse, we are just getting started.#ChennaiRains #Chennai #ChennaiRainsUpdate #ChennaiCorporation #ChennaiFloods pic.twitter.com/3ibS6Ua6o3— Vasanth (@vacchu) October 15, 2024
காலையில் பெய்த ஒரு மணி நேர மழை நின்ற பிறகு சென்னை OMR சாலை பெருங்குடி தரமணி பகுதியிலும் ஒரு சொட்டு நீர் இல்லை, துணை முதல்வரின் உத்தரவின் பெயரில் தண்ணி வடிகால் வழியாக வெளியே சென்று விட்டது🖤❤️#நக்கிட்டுப்போன_4000கோடி #ChennaiRains #ChennaiFloods #Chennai https://t.co/9ozCfq5UwU pic.twitter.com/hQg6YgENRM
— Bagavath Pratheep (@Bagavathprathee) October 15, 2024
Kotivakkam near Thiruvanmiyur also saw flooding to a large extent.
Kottivakkam, Thiruvanmiyur #ChennaiFloods #ChennaiRainsUpdate #Chennai #ChennaiRain pic.twitter.com/B0rdADaEjN
— Karthik Chander (@Karthik_Nesal) October 15, 2024
A refrigerator was seen floating over the flood waters near Kandanchavadi in Perungudi near OMR.
A fridge is floating on the road near Kandhanchavadi, Perungudi. 😲#Chennai #ChennaiRains #ChennaiRainsUpdate #ChennaiFloods pic.twitter.com/MTP0rS3108
— Karl Marx2.O (@Marx2PointO) October 15, 2024
Water levels rising fast in #MCNNagar #Thoraipakkam. Flooding seems imminent, and there’s a strong chance of water entering homes! 😓@chennaicorp @Udhaystalin @PriyarajanDMK #ChennaiRains #ChennaiCorporation #ChennaiFloods #ChennaiDrowns pic.twitter.com/v3t67VGxvO
— Yogesh R (@TheYogeshR) October 15, 2024
Perungudi, omr now after 1 spell of rains#ChennaiCorporation #ChennaiRains2024 #chennairains #Chennai #OMR #perungudi pic.twitter.com/zzdSBeA02I
— Sundar Rajan (@sundar8) October 15, 2024
#OMR #ChennaiRains pic.twitter.com/SNorfSjQfS
— சயனைடு குப்பி ⚡️ (@CyanideGuppi) October 15, 2024
Rains lash #Chennai
Location : 15th October, #OMR near #Perungudi Toll. #TNRains #ChennaiRainsUpdate pic.twitter.com/Img8kt3MNL— Suresh Kumar (@journsuresh) October 15, 2024
#wtc #ChennaiFloods #omr pic.twitter.com/83I6PucTS0
— Sana (@qushqai) October 15, 2024
#ChennaiRainsUpdate#OMR #Perundugi Bus Stop pic.twitter.com/HYmiUeXDtg
— Sivakumar Alagumani (@SivakumarA43707) October 15, 2024
These were the scenes from Navalur in OMR after the spell of rains on the night of 14 October 2024.
#OMR 😳#Navalur roads now due to 1 hr of continuous #HeavyRain. ⛈️#RedAlert #RainAlert #ChennaiRains pic.twitter.com/0TkGr4bS7k
— Deepaoli (@deepaoliarun) October 14, 2024
In this video report by Thanthi TV, several residents and people travelling that side stated that it had always been like this since 2015 in OMR. One commuter seen driving a bike is seen complaining about the administration. Some IT employees who were given WFH were asked to go to their office following a power cut at home. They were seen stranded on the roads. It is reported that nearly 100 vehicles on the road in OMR had switched off and had to be pushed by the commuters themselves. Commuters are seen pushing their two wheelers also in the hip-deep water. An auto driver stated that despite having a demand from customers, he was unable to drive as he risked the vehicle switching off because of the rising water level. He said, “Had they taken some precautions to ensure the water did not stagnate, this wouldn’t have been so bad.”
It is noteworthy that lot of metro construction work is also taking place.
ANother commuter stated that the entire stretch from Taramani had been inundated by the flood
"2015 -ல இருந்து ஓ.எம்.ஆர் இப்படி தான்.." "100 வண்டி OFF ஆகி நிக்குது.."#omr #chennai #chennairain #ThanthiTV pic.twitter.com/qrIj7ApKYr
— Thanthi TV (@ThanthiTV) October 15, 2024
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