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Chennai Airport shut till 6am on Thursday

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Rescue work is carried out in flooded Kotturpuram area following rains in Chennai on Wednesday.

A man carries a dog and wades through a flooded street in Chennai. (AP Photo)

CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: The submerged Chennai airport will remain shut till Sunday in the wake of battering rains that have left the facility unusable, Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced on Wednesday.The AAI's decision also follows prediction by the IMD that there will be more rain for the next 72 hours over Chennai and its suburbs, with the next 48 hours being "very crucial". The Rajali Naval air station near Arakonam, about 70 km from Chennai, will operate as a civilian airport."Chennai Aerodrome has been closed up to 12 noon of the December 6, 2015. The situation is being closely monitored and any further action will be taken subject to review for resumption of services as soon as possible," the AAI, which runs the airport, said in a statement.Life remained crippled in Chennai on Wednesday as fresh downpour worsened an already disastrous flood situation, posing danger to thousands of people in low-lying areas. The financial loss may exceed Rs 15,000 crore, an industry lobby body has said.Soldiers joined the rescue and relief work and more troops were on their way from Bengaluru to Chennai, the sprawling southern metropolis with over 4.6 million residents. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is likely to make aerial survey of flood-hit Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts on Thursday.Live Blog: Rain batters ChennaiThe unprecedented rains, the worst in 100 years, have battered Tamil Nadu's northern districts such as Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram and Cuddalore. In the last spell of rains, around 180 people had died in the four districts.Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said in New Delhi that the situation was "unheard of and unprecedented", and promised all help to the beleaguered city and other areas.A joint statement by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency said: "Tamil Nadu's weather is under observation for the next 72 hours as the rain in the next 48 hours is going to be comparatively heavy."The financial loss may exceed Rs 15,000 crore, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) said, while the state government put the total loss at Rs 8,481 crore.The government said 72,119 people were housed in 432 relief camps, but thousands of passengers were still stranded at the Chennai airport and railway stations. Electricity supply snapped in many areas. Telephone services too were hit. Telecom service providers and mobile payment solutions providers have come up with free mobile recharges to help the residents stay connected.With schools and colleges shut, and vast areas under water, most buses went off the roads and suburban train services were suspended. Several private establishments declared a holiday. The government on Wednesday issued an advisory to private sector undertakings to allow their employees to take leave or permit them to work from home on Thursday and Friday.(PTI Photo)The Southern Railway cancelled 13 trains out of Egmore station and four trains from Chennai Central. Ten trains from other stations too were axed.Unlike in the past, upmarket localities like Shastri Nagar, Anna Nagar, Alwarpet and Mylapore were flooded. With the river overflowing, traffic over the Adayar bridge near Saidapet was closed for safety.Surplus water from Poondi reservoir, which supplies water to Chennai, was released, causing more misery. Water level in the Chembarambakkam, Puzhal and Sholavaram reservoirs have also touched the danger mark.Marriage may not be the first thing on your mind when your life has been disrupted by a torrential downpour -- and there is water everywhere. However, braving heavy rain and flooding, many couples across the state capital entered into wedlock on Wednesday, an auspicious day for weddings.The Hindu and Business Standard newspapers did not come out on Wednesday due to heavy rains. The Hindu will be published on Thursday, a newspaper employee said.Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday offered all resources at his disposal towards flood relief, while Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav announced that he will donate his first salary to the victims.Leading actors of Telugu cinema announced contribution for relief in Tamil Nadu with Junior NTR pledging assistance of Rs 10 lakh, his actor-brother Kalyanram Rs 5 lakh, and Sampoornesh Babu announcing Rs 50,000 for relief.Chennai flooded: Leave a message for your folks