Chennai's geography, flawed urban design & adverse climate have made flooding a routine issue, despite construction of kilometres of stormwater drains & concerted efforts by govt.
GCC analysis in aftermath of 2015 deluge identified clogging and inadeqaute capacity of drains, besides encroachment of river basins as factors that led to waterlogging in Chennai.
Ennore creek is part of Ennore-Pulicat wetland system, which acts as an ecological unit that protects biodiversity and recharges groundwater. It's battling an oil spill since Cyclone Michaung struck.
Cyclone Michaung and unprecedented rainfall have caused floods in several parts of the state. As the state demands more funds, Centre says money is not being used appropriately.
According to one expert, Ennore Pulicat creek in north & Pallikaranai marshland in south are blessing for Chennai but rampant encroachment has continued largely unchecked there.
As of Wednesday, the super cyclone had claimed at least 17 lives, besides displacing thousands in Chennai alone. The devastation brought with it flashbacks of the 2015 floods.
At least 13 people, most of them in the manufacturing hub of Tamil Nadu, have died in the flooding that was triggered by the torrential rains that preceded the cyclone.
From Munir’s point of view, a few bumps here and there is par for the course. He isn’t going to drive his dumper truck to its doom. He wants to use it as a weapon.
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