With incessant rain pounding the city for the past 12 days, normal life has been thrown out of gear in north Chennai, especially Mogappair East and Kolathur.
Vehicles half-immersed in rainwater and people walking in knee-deep water are a common sight in these areas.
Church Street, Tilak Street and Spartan Avenue in Mogappair East, are the worst hit areas, but residents say they have received no help from the Chennai Corporation.
Swaminathan, a resident of Spartan Avenue said, “The authorities have made the Spartan Avenue road lower than the main road and there is no way to drain out water from this road.â€
Taranpreet Singh, another resident, said that the road had been flooded for the past 12 days and despite repeated complaints to the corporation, they had received no help. “They told us that they are already spending around Rs.50,000 to pump out water at an apartment complex on the next street and cannot spend the same amount on this road.â€
Image: Spartan Avenue Street
Image: Spartan Avenue Street
On Church Street, waterlogging on the road has caused traffic snarls. Potholes filled with rainwater which make travelling on this road dangerous.
Houses on Tilak Street look like small islands surrounded by water.
David, a driver working in Tilak Nagar said they are fed up of waiting for the authorities to come to their aid. “A few days back, a snake entered my owner’s house due to this rainwater. No authorities have come to help us. Now, the residents are planning to do something to pump out the water by themselves.â€
Image: Tilak Street
Image: Tilak Street
Image: Tilak Street
The situation is similar at Senthil Nagar in Kolathur with vehicles and roads inundated in several feet of water.
Prince Rajkumar, a resident of Senthil Nagar said, “We have been staying inside our house for the past 12 days with roads flooded with water. No one from the Corporation has come to pump out the water or help us out in such conditions.â€
Image: Kolathur
Image: Kolathur
Debris on Marina Beach
With the city bursting at the seams due to waterlogging and transportation problems, the effects can be seen on Marina Beach too.
The heavy rains in the city have covered the Marina Beach stretch with debris from different water bodies, including Cooum and Adyar rivers causing extreme inconvenience, especially to the fishing community villages on the beach.
The debris remains strewn on the beach as authorities are busy with rescue operations in other parts of the city.
Image: Debris at Marina Beach
Image: Debris at Marina Beach
With the rains showing no sign of abating, the residents of the city seem braced for more trouble in the days ahead.