Red alert: Chennai far from ready for northeast monsoon onslaught

CHENNAI: The capital city and its neighbouring districts that form the Chennai Metropolitan Area are in for a pounding at the beginning of the northeast monsoon season itself, with the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, issuing a red alert for them predicting extremely heavy rainfall on October 16.

A red alert is issued when the rainfall is expected to be 204 mm or above. What is sure to make matters worse is the status of drain construction, which is unfinished even though the monsoon is at the doorsteps.

According to S Balachandran, deputy director-general of meteorology, RMC, a yellow warning (heavy rain measuring 7-11 cm) has been issued for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu among other districts for Monday. The next day, the alert is for very heavy rain (orange alert, 12-20 cm) for these districts.

The lashing is feared to reach the crescendo on Wednesday, the day of the red alert (21 cm or more), by which time the soil would be saturated and smaller waterbodies would be full, resulting in less absorption and hence a large volume of flood water on the roads and our homes and everywhere else.

Soon after the weathermen warned about the possibility of heavy rains, DT Next reporters and photojournalists went around the city to understand how prepared Chennai is to deal with the expected onslaught.

What they found painted a rather dismal picture replete with half-finished drains, both big and small, with iron bars protruding that heighten the risk in the event of an accident fall, flooding in the areas surrounding the drains even for the mild and brief showers that the city received in the recent days.

Residents after residents who spoke to us rued how the works have been dragging on for months though historical data dating back more than a hundred years – and anecdotal information from centuries ago – clearly show that this is the time of the year when Chennai receives rain. Building contractors, painters, farmers, and the common man know this and plan their work accordingly. But not the ones who construct stormwater drains.

Even Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has taken note of this, and instructed officials on Sunday to ensure that safety measures were undertaken around unfinished drains to protect the people.