Chennai records wettest Sunday of year with 89mm rainfall

The city and surrounding areas witnessed one of the wettest days of the year with Chennai recording around 89 mm of rainfall on Sunday, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC).

Several areas were waterlogged and traffic snarls were reported from Adyar, Nungambakkam, Mylapore, Anna Nagar, T Nagar and Koyambedu. In Tambaram, the subway connecting East Tambaram and West Tambaram was completely inundated. One casualty was reported in the rainfall. A 46-year-old man died after falling into an incomplete storm water drain, filled with rainwater on MTH Road, Ambattur on Saturday night. Police identified the deceased as Sheikh Ali (46), a resident of Mannurpet near Ambattur Estate.

While Satankulam in Thoothukudi recorded a highest of 190 mm of rainfall, other districts including Cuddalore, Tirunelveli, Nagapattinam, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Tiruvarur and Tiruvallur received more than 100 mm of rainfall. In the city, Perungudi, Pallikaranai, Shollinganallur, Guindy, Virugambakkam, Tambaram received heavy rainfall with Shollinganallur receiving 117 mm.

The Greater Chennai Corporation on Sunday claimed that water stagnation was recorded in 19 places and trees had fallen in 11 locations until 3 pm. Corporation Commissioner G Prakash, in a statement said workers were involved in pumping out stagnant water and removing fallen trees. Several districts are on red alert up to Monday with forecasts of extremely heavy rainfall in Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Vellore, Tiruvallur, and Tiruvannamalai. Chennai, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, The Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni and Dindigul, Kanniyakumari, Madurai, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Pudukottai and Sivaganga are also likely to receive very heavy rainfall. Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will conduct a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday to monitor the flood situation. The meeting will be attended by heads of various departments and the SDMA.

Police identified the deceased as Sheikh Ali (46), a resident of Mannurpet near Ambattur Industrial Estate. He was walking along the road when he fell inside the open storm water drain filled with water and slush.

After being alerted by some onlookers who witnessed this, personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services and two fire tenders from Ambattur Estate and JJ Nagar were pressed into service. As the pit was about eight feet deep and filled with slush, it took nearly three hours for the rescue team to retrieve Ali’s body.

The delay led to protest by the public, who created a ruckus and also blocked the MTH Road.

However, the Fire Service personnel said they spared no efforts to rescue the man, but their operation was affected because of public interference. “A lot of people had gathered at the scene and kept disturbing the efforts,” an official said, adding that the people who crowded the spot were allegedly shaking the equipment without allowing them to work.

There was nearly eight-feet water deep water in the pit and the fire squad could not get in without pumping the water out. “Finally, the TNFRS team had to bring in a second pump and bail out the water to retrieve his body,” the official added. Sheikh Ali was rushed to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in an ambulance. However, he was declared dead on arrival.