The collapse of a road in Chennai’s upscale Poes Garden area has become emblematic of the heavy flooding that brought the city to its knees. Cyclone Michaung caused strong gusts of wind and torrential rain, which left the city almost submerged.
Visuals from the area, also shared by cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, showed a huge hole in the middle of the road and an electric pole collapsing into it. The city has been plunged into darkness for the past 24 hours as massive flooding has completely devastated it.
« Hold on for another day, everyone. Even if the rain stops, recovery is going to take some time, » Ashwin told the X platform while sharing the visuals of the dug up road in the posh locality.
Poes Garden in south Chennai is an area where former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha lived at her Veda Nilayam residence. Top Tamil actors like Rajinikanth and Ajith also live in this region.
Internet users reacted to the images of the dug up road and could not believe their eyes.
“If this is the state of Poes Garden’s infrastructure, I can’t even imagine what every other part of the city is going through,” said one X user.
Cyclone Michaung wreaked havoc in Chennai and neighboring districts, flooding the city, causing disruptions to flights and trains, and surprising residents with a video showing a crocodile crossing a submerged road. The incessant downpours, reminiscent of the 2015 deluge, have paralyzed daily life, prompting authorities to declare a public holiday and send rescue teams to help a city besieged by torrential rains.
Residents rushed to buy and restock, with demand for clean water high. Continuous downpours led to power outages and internet interruptions.
Transportation services have been hit hard, with many trains and flights canceled. Waterlogged roads presented challenges for the small number of road users. Operations at the Chennai airport were disrupted till 9 am on Tuesday, with around 70 flights canceled due to incessant rains and waterlogging affecting the runway and tarmac, the authority said Indian airport.
In the last 24 hours, Perungudi in Chennai received 29 cm of rain, while Avadi in Tiruvallur district recorded 28 cm and Mamallapuram in Chengalpet received 22 cm. The weather bureau warned of continued heavy rain and strong winds in the four districts.
The Indian Meteorological Department’s update details the track of Cyclone Michaung, projecting its movement towards the south coast of Andhra Pradesh and its expected crossing between Nellore and Machilipatnam on December 5.
To manage the situation, the Tamil Nadu government declared a public holiday for educational institutions, government and private offices, financial institutions and banks in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts on Tuesday. Private companies have been asked to allow working from home for employees in affected regions.
With contributions from PTI
