Date:29/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/29/stories/2008112958060300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

A few more spells expected today

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: After the torrential rain over the past one week, the city may have some respite as the Meteorological department forecasts a gradual decrease in rainfall on Saturday.

On Friday, Nungambakkam received 21.7 mm of rainfall during 12 hours ending 8.30 p.m., while it was 29.5 mm in Meenambakkam.

Meteorological Department officials said, though the cyclonic storm ‘Nisha’ that hit the Tamil Nadu coast has weakened, the city would continue to receive a few spells of rainfall, which may be heavy in some areas on Saturday.

The easterly winds were responsible for the rains on Friday as well, the officials said.

In a bid to quicken the flood mitigation measures, teams comprising officials of various departments have been formed under the chairmanship of State Ministers.

Finance Minister K.Anbazhagan coordinated the flood alleviation measures in north Chennai along with Chennai Corporation and Chennai Metrowater officials. The team under the chairmanship of Electricity Minister Arcot N.Veeraswami was at work in south Chennai.

In the central parts of the city, the team of officials from several government agencies coordinated flood mitigation measures under the chairmanship of Information Minister Parithi Illamvazhuthi.

The National Disaster Response Force from Arakkonam has been involved in transporting residents from the flooded areas of Virugambakkam and Velachery to safer places through inflated boats.

The city police chipped in to rescue a large number of people trapped in houses in several areas which were marooned.

Commissioner of Police K. Radhakrishnan and Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), A.K. Viswanathan, supervised the relief and rescue operations, as police teams used boats to move stranded residents to safety in many areas. While maintaining the minimum strength at police stations, Mr. Radhakrishnan directed the force to help the people come out of inundated localities.

But for the Koyambedu-Vadapalani stretch where knee-deep water logging remained, normal traffic was restored in almost all the important roads by Friday evening. “We rescued many senior citizens, pregnant women and children in Virugambakkam, Choolaimedu and the adjoining areas where water stagnation continued for several hours. Boats were used to transport the affected people to marriage halls and other relief centres,” Mr. Radhakrishnan told The Hindu.