Army, Navy out in Chennai as heavy rain batters city, suburbs

Chennai, December 1

Non-stop torrential rain since last night pounded several parts of Chennai and its suburbs and Puducherry, triggering a deluge completely disrupting normal life as Army and Navy were deployed tonight in two suburban areas to undertake rescue on a war footing.

Two columns of Army's Garrison Infantry Battalion have been pressed into service in Tambaram and Oorapakkam after the Tamil Nadu Government sought military assistance. The Navy is also on stand-by.

"More army personnel are coming to Chennai from Bengaluru," a Defence Public Relations official said adding "they have already left for Chennai."

Navy personnel were deployed in Sadiapet area of Chennai to rescue people marooned in low-lying areas.

All flight operations at Chennai airport were suspended tonight. Eleven foreign and 9 domestic flights from the airport were put on hold as no landing or take-off was allowed till late in the evening. Officials said they might review the decision at midnight to take a call on resuming operations.

A senior airport official said while the runways were free of water logging, they suspended flight operations as a precautionary measure following waterlogging in some other areas, adding, they did not want to take a chance.

The rain that has virtually broken a 100-year-old record with one day's rainfall covering a month's average also flooded areas in Vadapalani, Valasaravakkam and Nandamvakkam. — PTI