December 2015 won’t
be easily forgettable for Chennaities, the historical rain and flood that hit
our city and let almost floating. Many lives lost and properties washed away
and submerged in the torrential rain/flood and overflown rivers. Though
government took action in rescuing and protecting people, the volunteers,
almost youth’s partake was praiseworthy and transformed their perception overall.
But the post actions haven’t been same and satisfactory, no; I am not about
youths, I know they continued to work on the flood effect even after things
turn normal. The government side is completely dumb, and I could see no stone
was unturned and what the situation was before the disaster rain continues to
be same even after the terrible lesson.
 |
| (pool of water in front of home) |
Following
December rain/flood there wasn’t moderate to heavy rains in Chennai until some
heavy spells in summer (May) and few downpours in September, including the 80
mm of rain that created pool in front of our home, a day before yesterday. The water
rose to the edge of our doorstep with few centimeters to enter home, thankfully
the rain recedes and ceased later to repeat not a situation like December.
Interestingly, this year becomes the wettest September in last 20 years and it
seems few more downpours could have defeated 200 years record in Chennai. These
days an uncertainty kept checking us every time it rains, perhaps because of
the change in its pattern of showering. After the December torrential rain, I
observed it wasn’t raining normally, slowly and steadily, but shower altogether
or a total fall.
The northeast monsoon is yet to
begin but what precaution steps were taken was nothing to point out. We’re in a situation where nature has turned
incredibly unpredictable and the weathermen’s warning to expect unexpected proves
we are certainly living in an uncertain condition and without any precaution we
are to suffer for sure in case of abundant rain. The vital part of the city,
the storm water drains aren’t dredged properly, at least in part of the city we
live. What kind of action has taken on the encroachments around the rivers and
lake beds are apparently back to their places after water recedes. The water
levels at the reservoirs around the city were almost gone down, but no sign of
dredging or deepening to increase its capacity which could save water as well
preserve people from flood.
Moreover the situation has sent
us to constant turmoil whether to move out of this home or take risk by staying
over here. We are in hunt for house already and were very conscious not to make
a mistake again by choosing a house that prone to flood and rain. During the
torrential rains in Nov and Dec, last year, we suffered a lot by moving up and
down, and washing the home more than couple of times and arranging things once
every flood recedes. We were almost close to the situation on the day before
yesterday and if the rain hasn’t receded we would have forced to move out.
Unlike early, the water doesn’t took time to recede, but still the storm water
drains aren’t rectified to allow abundant water and the drains are almost went
underground, thanks to the elevated concrete road, which is the main reason for
the water to enter homes. One thing for sure, the fears of flood haven’t exit
but still we go through bare hands.
