Army out as worst rain in 100 years batters Chennai

CHENNAI: Non-stop torrential rains since Monday night pounded several parts of Chennai and its suburbs and Puducherry, triggering a deluge completely disrupting normal life as army was deployed on Tuesday in two areas to undertake rescue on a war footing.
All flight operations at Chennai airport were suspended for two hours on Tuesday night and a number of flights disrupted as waters inundated the runway and the tarmac.Airport officials said one flight, which had left Colombo this morning, returned.
Twelve trains leaving Chennai Egmore were cancelled due to water overflowing on railway tracks between Villupuram - Tambaram section. Also, eleven trains were diverted.
The incessant rains that have virtually broken a 100-year-old record also flooded areas in Vadapalani, Valasaravakkam and Nandamvakkam as nearby lakes overflowed into the city.
A large part of the road near Madhya Kailash temple in the heart of the city, in an area that connects the IT corridor, caved in resulting in a huge crater and disrupting traffic.

As the death toll in rain-related incidents touched 188, Chief Minister Jayalalithaaa reviewed the situation and deputed ministers to inspect the affected regions. She reviewed the situation in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore and Kanchipuram districts, and ordered postponement of half-yearly examinations for school children to next month previously slated to be held from December 7.
The situation has worsened in suburban areas of Tambaram and Mudichur after the Chembarakam lake overflowed and an unprecedented 26,000 cusecs of water was being released flooding the downstream areas. These areas had already suffered heavily during the earlier spells of rain.

Vadapalani to Koyambedu stretch of 100 feet road flooded during the heavy rain lashed in Chennai on Tuesday. (TOI Photo)
Two columns of army's Garrison Infantry Battalion have been pressed into service in Tambaram and Oorapakkam after the Tamil Nadu government sought military assistance. The Navy is also on stand-by.
Adding to the woes, Chennai city and neighbouring districts braced for more rains with the Met department predicting heavy to very heavy rains in the next four days.
Most areas, which have already been lashed by rains for over a fortnight, went under water on Tuesday severely disrupting train and bus services and forcing the advancement of half-yearly school exams and closure of schools in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts. Half-yearly exams in schools, which were to have begun on December 7, were postponed. Schools were closed on Tuesday and will remain shut on Wednesday as well.
Even in hitherto unaffected areas, people complained that water entered their homes and roads flooded with surging waters. Several areas in the city went without power as supply was cut as a safety precaution.
The National Disaster Rescue Force has already dispatched ten teams, of which four are already in Chennai and the rest will be flying in on Wednesday. "At the same time, we are also requisitioning teams from Bengaluru and Andhra Pradesh," NDRF chief O P Singh said. Teams carrying boats will also be sent to Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts.