CHENNAI: Two days after heavy rain brought Chennai to a halt, the sky cleared in many parts of the city on Thursday as residents voiced their anger against the Central and state governments for not coming to their immediate rescue. At least 50,000 people were stranded in flooded homes and more than 3 lakh people rendered homeless.

A member of the team of fire and rescue services confirmed that several thousand people were still trapped in flooded homes, taking refuge on terraces. “The water current is heavy in many south suburban parts of Chennai like Mudichur, Polichalur and Tambaram. We use only row boats and it is difficult for us to reach them, to rescue people or provide them food,“ the officer said.

The National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) director general despatched 100 boats for rescue work. Of 29 NDRF teams, seven are being deployed in the rescue operations, while 10 more teams reached Chennai on Thursday .

Parts of Mylapore, Mandaiveli and Raja Annamalaipuram were under waist-deep water on Thursday , and the water level continued to rise in many areas.

A S Sathiyanathan, a resident of Mylapore, said he had never seen such floods in the last 50 years. “I have been living off Dr Radhakrishnan Salai for more than five decades. I have never seen anything like this. I have parked my cars on the ground floor and the water level has increased up to the waist.“

As the catchment areas of Chembarambakkam lake continued to fill up, PWD officials discharged 26,000 cusecs of water. The Adyar river, which is in spate, breached the banks in several areas.

Shop keepers sold a 20-litre can of water and 500 ml of milk for Rs100 and Rs150 respectively, and with only a few autorickshaws plying, auto drivers fleeced passengers, demanding Rs1,000 or Rs1,500 to cover a five-km stretch. Many people waded through knee-deep water from Tiruvanmiyur to Nandanam.

Chennai metro rail services were also affected on one stretch after rain flooded railway tracks near Kasi theatre in Jafferkhanpet near Ashok Nagar. EMU services were stopped from Chennai Egmore to Tambaram.

However, friends, relatives and activists provided food and shelter for hundreds of residents whose homes were flooded. While some turned to neighbours and friends, several moved in with relatives in unaffected parts of the city .

Tambaram railway station was turned into a rescue shel ter. Many north Indians employed as daily-wage labourers in the construction sector in the city suburbs were rescued and sent to the railway station. The state government set up temporary relief centres in private and government schools. But, as flood water entered these centres, people were forced to move into new shelters.

Many people continued to post messages on social networking sites for those who needed help. Vignesh Mailappan put out a message that people who were stuck near Valasara vakkam and Megamart area on the west suburban city could contact him. The southern suburban city Mudichur road emergency camp helpline number can be reached through Ghani 9941006786 or 7200005245.

One good Samaritan posted a message on a social networ king site, offering to recharge mobile phones of those stuck in the floods. “If you are running out of balance, text me your mobile number with network name, I will recharge for you. Send the message to 9629777978,“ he said.

Relief and rescue efforts are continuing in the flood-hit areas of Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts even as more and more water released from lakes and ponds is flooding even areas where there was no water after December 1.

