More than 400 killed and 18 lakh displaced: Revisiting 2015 Chennai floods

In December 2015, Chennai in Tamil Nadu was on the receiving end of incessant rainfall, which in turn caused the city and its suburbs to flood. The drowning city witnessed its citizens come together to rescue people stranded in their homes as the water levels rose to alarming levels. Resultant from heavy rainfall generated by the annual northeast monsoon, more than 400 people were killed and over 18 lakh individuals were displaced during the Chennai floods.

For the unversed, a very large area of south India, including the whole state of Tamil Nadu and coastal regions of the Andhra Pradesh and the union territory of Puducherry, receives up to 60 per cent of its annual rainfall from the northeast monsoon which falls during the winters. Every year from October to December, the area receives heavy rainfall due to this. Unlike during the regular monsoon, rainfall during the northeast monsoon is sporadic but is almost 90 per cent more effective than the regular monsoon.

The unusually heavy rainfall during the winter of 2015 was attributed to the 2014–16 El Niño event, which was accompanied by high air pressure in the western Pacific and low air pressure in the eastern Pacific. However, in July 2018 the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) presented a report categorising the floods caused by Chennai rains as a "man-made disaster". The CAG held the Government of Tamil Nadu responsible for the scale of the catastrophe, which the government had termed a natural disaster.

Devastation by Chennai rains 

The Chennai floods of 2015, brought life in Tamil Nadu to a standstill. The lack of warning of the floods in Chennai made it difficult to relocate thousands and save many. People with disabilities were left to fend for themselves in many places. Loss of life was more in terms of pets and other domestic animals. The incessant rains saw the city completely inundated with people running up to the top floors of buildings for safety.

Chembarambakkam Lake, which was once the lifeline of South Chennai as it irrigated 168 villages in the district, was blamed for the city’s flooding as it overflowed without many warnings. Cars, buildings and the personal belongings of hundreds were washed away. During the floods, fishermen from across the state stepped up to rescue individuals from the city. However, many fishermen also lost their livelihood as their boats and houses were destroyed. The list of tragic incidents which took place during the week of the Chennai floods is long and the Tamil Nadu government and local administrations have ever since been working to avoid such a catastrophe.

Chennai witness ‘heaviest rainfall since 2015'

Several parts in Chennai and its suburban areas reported waterlogging on Sunday morning after heavy rains lashed the city. The heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu began overnight and continued through the morning. The showers have now been marked as the ‘heaviest downpour since 2015’. Authorities have now sounded a preliminary flood alert to people as two city reservoirs are set to be opened during the day, considering the ill effects of such heavy showers that caused the Chennai floods in 2015.

As heavy rain continues to cause waterlogging in Chennai and nearby areas, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted more rainfall in the days to come. Sounding a preliminary flood alert, the state water resources authorities advised district collectors of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur to evacuate people living in low-lying areas. The locals here are being moved to safe locations. Meanwhile, Chembarambakkam and Puzhal reservoirs, which serve as important sources of drinking water to Chennai city were opened in order to clear the rainwater surplus.  

Image: PTI