No Water, No Sanitation: How Chennai Suffered Amid Cyclone Michaung

The devastating aftermath of Cyclone Michaung has left Tamil Nadu grappling with a shortage of basic necessities like clean water and groceries. Houses and streets in the capital city, Chennai, have been waterlogged for days, as citizens pine for some relief and sanitation. According to the news agency Asian News International, Chennai residents are crying for help from politicians but not a single person has turned up to relieve them. 

Every year during monsoons, Chennai, which is a metropolitan and one of India's most populous cities, gets submerged under the drain water. The 2015 floods in the city were one of the worst calamities that the city has faced in recent times. Although Chennai goes through this every year, there has been no improvement in the condition of the city's drainage systems or relief for residents.

The Cyclone Michaung Effect

The Cyclone Michaung troubled Tamil Nadu from December 2, after which areas in Chennai city have been completely waterlogged. According to the ANI, Pattalam is one such area where the residents have been suffering for days, with a shortage of sanitation and basic household items. 

A Pattalam resident told ANI that despite waiting for days for some relief, no one came there, and they suffered without any clean water or basic groceries like milk. He also warned politicians to not come to the area seeking votes during the elections, as they have not turned up when the people really needed their help.

People in Chennai's Choolaimedu area also complained of the same, adding that they have been demanding to clear the garbage piles from the roads and drains for days. "We have been suffering from water logging for the past 5 days... Till yesterday there was no electricity and now although it came, there is no internet connectivity. Trees that fell in our area are still not cleared. No officials from GCC [Greater Chennai Corporation] have turned to our place," Anandan, a Choolaimedu resident told ANI.

Disrupted Railways

Owing to the heavy rainfall and strong winds, dozens of trains running to and from Chennai were either diverted or cancelled. Two trains to and from Mettupalayam have been cancelled, the railway informed on Thursday. The train from Mettupalayam to Udagamandalam, scheduled to leave at 7.10 am, as well as the return train at 6 pm have been cancelled on December 8.

What The Government Is Doing

Chief Minister M K Stalin has promised that he will be donating to the relief funds. ANI reported that he said, "I donate my one month's salary to the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund for recovery from the Michaung storm disaster. I request all the members of the assembly and parliament to donate funds."

Meanwhile, Chennai Police Commissioner Sandeep Rai Rathore and his team inspected the flood-affected areas of Velachery by boat and distributed relief material to the people. He also directed the police officials to identify the affected people through drones and help them immediately.

At the same time, Chennai Metropolitan Police has announced helpline numbers for public assistance and rescue assistance. Chennai Metropolitan Police announced that calls can be made to helpline numbers 2345 - 2359, 2345 - 2360, 2345 - 2361, 2345 - 2377 and flood control room numbers 2345 - 2437.