Chennai Floods Live: PM Modi meets CM Jayalalithaa, announces Rs 1000 crore assistance

Meanwhile, in Puri

Cabinet secy chairs meet on Chennai floods

ANI reported that Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha chaired a meeting of National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Thursday to discuss the flood situation in Tamil Nadu. 

Congress demand Tamil Nadu floods to be declared national disaster

The Congress on Thursday expressed its solidarity with the people of Tamil Nadu over the loss of 269 lives in floods caused by heavy rains in the state and demanded that the central government declare it a “national disaster for all affected regions of east coast”.

Talking to reporters here, Congress spokesperson Rajeev Gowda also accused the central government of “lack of attention” to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Air India sends flight to evactuate passengers from TN

A press statement by Air India quoted their spokesperson as saying, “A special Air India flight A320, all economy aircraft from Hyderabad took-off for Arakkonam Naval Base to evacuate stranded passengers at 17.30 hrs today. The flight will evacuate 120 passengers stranded in Tamil Nadu.”

Here’s a video of PM Modi talking about the flood situation in Chennai

WATCH: PM Narendra Modi announces additional financial aid worth 1000 crore rupees for #chennaifloods https://t.co/mqs61H0mAS

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 3, 2015

Rajnath Singh briefs both Houses in Parliament 

In view of the unexpected flood fury, the states have also apealed for financial packages from the Centre.  

“On 24 October, we received a memorandum from the Tamil Nadu government for a financial assistance of Rs 8,481 crore. The Inter Ministerial Central Team of the government of India has toured Tamil Nadu between 25-29 November to assess the damage in the state. The team will submit its report within a week. The National Executive Committee will examine the report and present it to the High Level Committee as per procedure,” the Union home minister said.  

“In this regard, I would like to say that the Centre has already granted Rs 940.42 crore to Tamil Nadu in the fiscal year 2015-16. Within this Rs 522 crore has been allocated as Special Plan Assistance. In addition to this amount, an amount of Rs 133.795 crore has been allocated to the SDRF on 23 November 2015. Last week, I had myself spoken to the Tamil Nadu chief minister and chief secretary. The Centre is ready for any kind of assistance they might ask for. I have also spoken to the Puducherry chief minister and we are trying to offer all possible to the state."

“I even spoke to the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. The state has given an interim memorandum of Rs 1,000 crore to the Centre. Very soon a Central team will visist the state for assessemnt of the damage. Apart from this, in 2015-16, a sum of Rs 330 crore was made available for Andhra Pradesh. To tackle with the drought of 2014-15, another sum of Rs 181.63 crore has been allocated to Andhra Pradesh from the SDRF funds in 2015-16,” Singh said.

Rajnath Singh briefs Parliament on transport situation in Chennai

The Centre is also taking care of the railway traffic that has been badly hit due to the ongoing floods.

“Till yesterday, 37 trains were cancelled. This morning the Basin Bridge Yard was filled with 1-1.5 feet of water throwing the Chennai station out of gear. The railways are trying to figure the nearest vantage point from Chennai,” he said.  

There is no respite for the Chennai airport as well with the facility being closed till 6 December. “Around 1,200-1,500 passengers were evacuated from the Chennai airport. Efforts are on to rescue the remaining 300 passengers today,” Singh said.

Rajnath Singh briefs both Houses in Parliament

Briefing both Houses in Parliament, the Union home minister said, “A total of 944 personnel with 102 boats and two columns of the army comprising of 124 personnel are engaged in relief and rescue operations in Tamil Nadu. Till now the state government and the NDRF teams have taken 40,432 to safety."

Giving an udate on the situation in Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh, he said, “In Puducherry, two NDRF teams of 70 personnel equipped with eight boats have been deployed. In Andhra Pradesh, six NDRF teams comprising of 211 personnel with 21 boats are on the ground for rescue and relief operations. The army has deployed seven columns comprising of 434 personnel for relief and rescue operations. Seven additional army colums will be airlifted from Hyderabad today. We are also trying to airlift four columns from Delhi today."

“The Indian Navy is playing its role in this time of disaster. Twelve boats and 255 naval personnel are deployed for rescue and relief operations. Other then this, INS Arihant, 20 divers, three boats and one medical team and one helicopter are being sent to Chenni from Vizag. The IAF has contributed immensely in this whole operation. The IAF has airlifted 14 NDRF teams today. As of two army columns are being airlifted. The IAF has so far conducted 19 sorties and saved 22 people,” Singh said.

Rajnath Singh informs parliament about current flood situation

Home Minister Rajnath Singh informed both houses of parliament about the current flood situation in the three southern states of Tamilnadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh.

Giving details of casualties, Singh said, so far 269 people have lost their lives in Tamil Nadu, while 2 and 54 people have lost their lives in Pondicherry and Andhra Pradesh, respectively.

“In this hour of distress, the Center is committed to stand behind all the affected states and assist them in all possible manners,” he added.

PM Modi conducts aerial survey of flood affected areas

PM Modi announces 1000 crore assistance to Tamil Nadu

People rescued from flood affected areas brought to Begumpet Airport

Nitish Kumar sends Rs 5 crore for relief and rehabilitation in Tamil Nadu

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday sent Rs 5 crore to Tamil Nadu for relief and rehabilitation work in the southern state battered by incessant rains.

Kumar sent the cheque to his Tamil Nadu counterpart Jayalalithaa from the Chief Minister’s Relief fund for relief and rehabilitation of victims of the rains, an official statement said in Patna.

Kumar expressed deep sorrow over loss of lives and property due to the rains in Tamil Nadu.

Relief work continues in rain-battered Puducherry

Nearly 400 houses suffered damages in the torrential rainfalls that battered Puducherry where rescue operations continued and people were moved to relief centres as water inundated several parts of the city.

Speaking about the situation in the Union Territory, District Collector D Manikandan said a total of 383 houses had been damaged in the rains. Revenue and other department staff had evacuated more than 1000 rain-hit people to relief centres while more than two lakh food packets had been distributed since last two days.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also pressed into service its two teams in the region.

PM Modi reaches INS Adyar in Chennai, meets CM J Jayalalithaa, reports ANI

Coastal areas badly hit: MeT Department

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at INS Rajali in Arakkonam

Air India to operate special flight to Arrakonam Naval Air Station from Hyderabad, reports PTI

MET raises alert

MET predicts further rainfall in Chennai and Pondicherry, according to TV reports.

IAF choppers drop food packets

Jayalalithaa conducts aerial survey of flood-hit areas, reports PTI

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Chennai and its suburbs. She later took stock of the situation with senior officials.

The Chief Minister wanted to undertake the exercise on Wednesday, but could not do so because of bad weather and the inability expressed by the pilots.

IAF drops food packets for stranded residents

WATCH: 1 food packet lands on rooftop, woman signals to IAF chopper to not drop more saying its sufficient pic.twitter.com/5d0H0DTY05

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 3, 2015

INS Airavat reaches Chennai

INS Airavat is on its way from Vizag with diving teams and boats, has now reached Chennai, ANI reports. Meanwhile, the Met department said after 48 hours, even though there is reduction in intensity of rainfall but there will not be a total secession of rainfall for next 5-6 days.

Death toll due to floods in Tamil Nadu 269: Rajnath’s statement in Lok Sabha

TV reports quoted Union Home Ministry and said that the death toll in the state of Tamil Nadu has risen to 269.

“Chennai has become an island. About 40% of the mobile and telephone connections are not working due to Chennai floods. Met has predicted heavy rainfall for the next 2-3 days. This rainfall has broken the record of past 100 years,” Rajnath Singh said in his address to the Lok Sabha on Thursday. 

Modi leaves for Chennai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted today saying he is leaving to visit Chennai after the devastating floods hit the city and the adjoining areas. 

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force has airlifted 200 stranded passengers from flood-hit Chennai and flown them to Hyderabad, an IAF official said. Four transport aircraft took off from Rajali Naval air station near Arakonam, about 70 km from Chennai.

The aircraft will land at the Air Force Station in Begumpet on Thursday afternoon, an official from the Air Force Station said.

He said the passengers who were stranded at the bus and railway stations had been shifted to the Rajali Naval air station and from there, they were being airlifted to Hyderabad.

Air India releases statement on flights to and from Chennai:

‘Air India will honour and accept any ticket issued by it from/to Chennai for travel from/to nearest airport like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Vishakhapatnam, Kozhikode, Coimbatore, Trichy,  Madurai, Vijayawada, Tirupati till 15 December, 2015  without any additional charge’

NDRF ops to intensify

NDRF Director General O P Singh said the force will intensify its operations in the affected areas from today as more of its men are being deployed on the ground. He said over 100 boats, 22 divers, 445 life jackets and 328 buoys have been pressed in by the force and more such rescue items are being dispatched.

The force has already tasked two DIG rank officers and a Commandant in Chennai to oversee operations in the affected areas.

A Navy official involved in the rescue efforts said that most of the places are flooded and lot of efforts are going on both on the ground and by air.

“An aircraft is going to evict people stranded at the civil airport. So we are going to establish an air bridge between Meenambakam civil airport at Chennai and Arakkonam. So that maximum people will be transferred to Arakkonam. And thereafter they will be thrown out,” the official said. — PTI

Students and migrant workers among worst hit

Surviving on biscuits for the last two days and sleeping on the floor of railway stations, construction worker Saleem is waiting for a train to take him to his hometown in West Bengal.

People rendered homeless have been forced to seek shelter in far-away hotels or homes of relatives, while the poor and needy are battling against the elements at railway stations or crowded rescue camps.

Besides poor migrants, students of colleges and other institutions have been been left stranded at stations and airports.

The state administration has announced a one month holiday but the break from work is causing them more stress. — PTI

Facebook activates Safety Check tool for Chennai flooding

For residents of Chennai, Facebook has activated the Safety Check tool to let family and friends know you are safe. If you’re in Chennai and want to mark yourself or your friends safe by using the tool, you can click here.  

Safety Check was originally launched in October 2014 and was first activated during the Nepal earthquake in April.  

Overflowing lakes inundate new areas in the city

Rains abated in Chennai giving relief to people tormented by the heavy downpour of the last three days but excessive discharge of water on Wednesday night from Chembarambakkam lake on the outskirts flooded new areas of the city threatening to uproot people from their homes.

Teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), Army, Navy and commandos of police and fire service personnel were deployed for rescue and relief works in the worst-affected areas of Kotturpuram, Jafferkhanpet and Nandanam on the banks of the Adyar river that has been in spate for the last two days.

For the first time in over 40 years, the water has risen rapidly on the river breaching the road and the Maraimalai Adigal bridge in Saidapet cutting the arterial Anna Salai (Mount Road), rendering it out of bounds for motorists.

Though there has been no rain since last night, the fresh flooding of the streets in the heart of the city in areas like Kodambakkam and T Nagar and Ashok Nagar has been caused by the release of an estimated 30,000 cusecs of water from the Chembarambakkam lake, one of city’s source of drinking water.

The reservoir has been surplussing because of heavy inflow due to rains in the catchment area.

— PTI

The rich should feel guilty: Kamal Haasan sends distress message from Chennai

Kamal Haasan, who lives on the posh Eldams Road in Teynampet area, is relatively sheltered and safe from the deluge. But many of his friends and relatives are hugely affected.

Speaking exclusively from his residence in Chennai, Kamal Haasan in an interview with Firstpost said, “To describe the situation as calamitous would be an understatement. If this can happen in Chennai can you imagine the plight of the rest of Tamil Nadu?”

“It’s a nightmare for the poor and the middle class. The rich should feel guilty. I  am not so rich and yet I feel guilty when I look outside my window and see how people in my city are suffering,” the actor adds. He also lashed out at the powers-that-be for neglecting their civic duties. “The entire system has collapsed. It will take Chennai months to get back to normal even when the rains stop. Where is all of the taxpayer’s money going? I don’t take black money. I pay my taxes. What is being done for me and my people with my hard-earned money?”

Jayalalithaa to conduct aerial survey

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to make aerial survey of flood-hit Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, reports PTI. 

Chennai Airport to be shut till 6 December

In other bad news for Chennai, Airport Authority of India has told PTI that Chennai airport will be shut till Sunday,6 December. 

This is very bad news for travellers stuck in the airport. 

Chennai floods a full blown effect of climate change? 

Even as Chennai is reeling under the floods that caused chaos in the city, experts say that this is what global warming looks like, and this is the havoc it causes. 

“We are now experiencing the full blown impacts of climate change. The extreme rainfalls that Chennai is experiencing is a direct outcome of our ever warming planet,” said Chandra Bhushan, Deputy Director General of Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) told PTI.  

“The global average temperature has increased by less than 1 degrees. Think what will happen at 2 degree temperature increase,” Bhushan said.

Harjeet Singh of Action Aid India, said, “Climate change has always been a contributing factor. We cannot say that it is 100 per cent because of climate change. Here we are talking about the scale of destruction and such rains which have happened after 100 years.”

Singh also made the Chennai rain crisis a part of his presentation.

“If we look at the disasters in the last five years, from Kashmir to Uttarkahand, if we see the trend, it becomes clear that it is because of climate change,” he said.

First person account of Chennai floods 

Our News Editor, Sports Pulasta Dhar was in Chennai for covering an ISL match. He is now stranded in the city given the flood situation. However, he was able to step out on the streets and gives us a first person account of the plight of Chennai residents. 

“Not until I saw two mothers beating their chests and crying in agony in Adyar, a residential area in South Chennai, did the full force of the calamity hit me. Their children were reportedly swept away in the current of the overflowing Adyar river which passes through the city,” he writes. 

Read his entire account here .

PM Modi takes stock of TN flood situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took stock of the flood situation in Tamil Nadu and discussed it with his cabinet colleagues, including the Home and Finance Ministers.

“I want to inform the House that today morning the Prime Minister met the Home Minister, Finance Minister and myself and discussed the flood conditions in Tamil Nadu. We exchanged information on the situation,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said in the Lok Sabha.

Modi on Tuesday spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and assured her all possible support and cooperation from the Centre, he said.

Naidu further said that Home Minister Rajnath Singh would chair a high-level meeting to ensure relief to the people of Tamil Nadu.

“The Home Minister is going to hold a high-level meeting… They are trying to coordinate with various agencies on relief operations. 400 passengers are stranded… NDRF team is there,” Naidu said.

Karnataka government sanctions Rs 5 crore for TN

Meanwhile, NDRF teams leave for Tamil Nadu