North Chennai grapples with severe flooding

In a distressing turn of events, several localities in North Chennai are submerged in knee-high water, leaving approximately 200 houses in Sivaganapathy Nagar, Madhavaram, completely inundated. The situation escalated as the overflowing Kosasthalayar River triggered the flooding of key areas, including the Minjur-Ennore Highway. Residents of Sivaganapathy Nagar faced an arduous ordeal, enduring knee-high water levels and a lack of power supply for an agonizing four days. The gravity of the situation prompted the intervention of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, who played a pivotal role in rescuing and assisting residents grappling for their lives. JCP Avadi, P. Vijayakumar, revealed that nearly 10,000 people found themselves stranded in Burma Nagar, Mannady, and other areas. The impact extended beyond these regions, affecting interior parts of both North and Central Chennai, attributing the deluge to the swelling Kosasthalayar River. Madhavaram and Ennore witnessed scenes of widespread water engulfing the surroundings, with the Kosasthalayar River’s overflow being a primary catalyst. The Minjur-Ennore Highway, a vital thoroughfare, succumbed to total flooding, disrupting normal life for countless residents. The ramifications extended to Kolathur, where the rising waters of the Thanikachalam canal resulted in the inundation of Sivanandha Road and Vivekanandha Road. However, there is a glimmer of hope as some officers reported a gradual receding of water levels, attributing it to a decrease in the flow of the Kosasthalayar River. This unprecedented flooding crisis underscores the vulnerability of Chennai’s infrastructure to extreme weather events. @@@@