December 9, 2015
Relief effort underway for flood-ravaged Chennai in India
Updated 5:32 AM ET, Mon December 7, 2015
(CNN)Chennai, a city of 4.6 million people on India's southeast coast, is reeling from some of the heaviest and deadliest rains in decades .
Now, as the floodwaters appear to recede, a massive relief effort is under way with participation by celebrities such as Anil Srinivasan, a classical pianist, and unsung people who just want to help.
"This is something of a megadestruction movie," said Srinivasan, who lives in the city's suburb of Nungambakkam. "It's bizarre and unreal."
Since October, flooding killed at least 272 people in the region, according to the National Disaster Response Force. About 28,000 people had to be rescued. The flooding knocked out government services, left people stranded and made small boats a commonplace sight in city streets.
The National Crisis Management Committee recently said about 90% of the city has power and buses are running again. Telephone services are not yet fully functional. Train service is spotty but should be back to normal Monday.
The recent weather has been especially grueling lately.
Record-breaking rainfall
In early December, 397 millimeters (nearly 16 inches) of rain fell during a two-day period in Chennai. In November, 1,196 millimeters (47 inches) of rain fell, according to CNN Weather, more than three times the average monthly rainfall of 353 mm (14 inches).
The flooding brought out a helping spirit among residents of Chennai, once known as Madras and India's fifth-largest city. The restoration of Internet service proved crucial for relief efforts.
Click on Link:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/06/asia/chennai-india-floods/
