The Hindu Business Line : Over 1.25 lakh people evacuated

Kotturpuram was the worst affected residential colonies in Chennai due to the flooding following release of water from the reservoirs into the Adyar river. - S.R. Raghunathan

Chennai , Dec. 4

MORE than 1.25 lakh people have been evacuated from flood-affected areas in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts. Industrial activity has been severely affected, particularly in the small-scale sector in these areas.

With the reservoirs in the city overflowing due to the heavy spell of rains on Friday (28 cm), there was extensive flooding in Chennai.

According to an official press release, the rains came at a time when the reservoirs were already full from the previous rains (since end-October) resulted in heavy flooding in Chennai. Over 75,000 people have been evacuated to relief centres. The Chembarambakkam Lake to the west of the city saw heavy inflows due to the rains in the Sriperumpudur area. The lake received a continuous inflow of 10,000 cusecs with a peak of 15,000. Surplus water was let out into the Adyar river, which was flowing full since it receives the city's drainage and has major catchments close to the city. The water level in the river continued to be high on Sunday but is expected to drop on Monday if there is no more rainfall.

The Poondi reservoir too received a massive inflow of around 35,000 cusecs on Saturday. Its outflow into the Cooum River was regulated to a maximum of 14,000 cusecs. The inflow to the reservoir dropped on Sunday and the flow in Cooum is expected to drop on Monday. But the heavy flow in Cooum resulted in water backing up in drainage canals such as the Virugambakkam canal.

Velachery, a southern suburb of Chennai, was also hit as it is at the tail end of large catchments in South Chennai before the water reaches the sea. Special teams have been deputed to monitor the situation.

According to the press release, despite the intense rains, traffic flow has been maintained and the Metropolitan Transport Corporation ran normal services. Drinking water supply is being arranged to the affected areas.

Industrial estates hit

The small-scale sector has been hit hard by the severe flooding in the industrial estates to the West and South of Chennai.

Production has been severely affected in the Ambattur Industrial Estate to the West of Chennai; over 1,000 of the 2,000 industrial units are water-logged, according to Mr Shashidar Rao, President, Ambattur Industrial Estate Manufacturers Association.

This means automobile component units, garment units and ancillaries for leading cycle manufacturers in the area will all be affected. Ambattur was yet to recover from the water-logging caused by the three spells of heavy rains since October. Insurance surveyors are to make a fourth visit next week to assess the situation, said Mr Rao.

At the leather industrial cluster in Chromepet, to the south of Chennai, units have been affected badly, according to tanners' association representatives. Tanning work usually comes to halt during the rainy season, but the small leather units doing job work too have been affected this time. Attendance has also been low because workers have not been able to reach the units.

According to Mr T.V. Hariharane, President, Chennai District Small Scale Industries Association, the situation is no different at the Guindy Industrial Estate. The units in the industrial estate that had been hit by the rains earlier were further affected because of the high flow in Adyar following release of surplus water from Chembarambakkam reservoir.

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