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Chennai airport shuts down after rains, 4,000 stranded

by IBNS 02 Dec 2015, 08:12 am

Chennai, Dec 2 (IBNS) Flights to and out of Chennai have been cancelled and the airport has been shut till 6 am tomorrow with water overtopping the runway as the city reels under floods caused by incessant downpour, not seen in almost a 100 years.

 No flights have taken off from or landed in Chennai since 8:30 pm on Tuesday.

19 trains have also been cancelled, with water flooding rail tracks.


About 4,000 people are stranded  at the Chennai airport. Food and water is being provided to those stranded.

It rained incessantly since Monday into early Wednesday morning and though it has stopped for now, the Met office says heavy rain is expected to continue over the next four days.


With rains continuing to pound several parts of Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoken to state Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on the flood situation.

He has assured the CM of all support required to handle the crisis in the state.
 
"Spoke to Jayalalithaa ji on the flood situation in parts of Tamil Nadu. Assured all possible support and cooperation in this unfortunate hour," the Prime Minister tweeted.
 
Heavy rains continued to batter Tamil Nadu, including the state capital Chennai, throwing normal life out of gear as the death toll  in the rain related incidents has risen to 188 since October.