Chennai: Tambaram is grappling with the aftermath of heavy rain and strong winds that uprooted more than 12 trees and caused waterlogging. While flooding has mostly receded, residents are struggling with tree debris and damage to their homes.
On Ambedkar Street, fallen branches blocked traffic, forcing residents to navigate narrow gaps or wait for municipal workers to clear the debris. K Rajendran, a local, was confined inside as a tree fell right in front of his house. "It took hours for authorities to remove it. We were stuck inside until the road was cleared," he said.
In Perungalathur, fallen trees damaged power lines, leaving many homes without electricity for hours. "We did not have electricity for most of the day, and it was frustrating to see the trees blocking the road while workers struggled to clear them," said Anjali, a resident.
Meanwhile, the corporation's 37 micro-composting centres remain underused, with existing shredders non-functional. Tree waste is piling up. Most of it is left to dry while new waste keeps adding up, said workers at the Keelkattalai micro-composting centre. A new shredder for Kanadapalayam is expected to be operational in ten days.
Flood-prone areas such as Mudichur and Selaiyur were largely cleared of water by Sunday morning after motor pumps were deployed across flooded areas on Saturday night, including the Chromepet-Pallavaram stretch. However, Bhavani Nagar residents in Chromepet are still working to remove water from their homes. "The water flooded our living room, soaking furniture and damaging appliances. We had to move everything upstairs," said G Shankar.
Flooding near Rajakilpakkam Lake remains a persistent issue. "Excess water from the lake flowed into Gokul Nagar 3rd Cross Street, inundating homes. When we raised the issue, the councillor's husband passed the blame onto corporation officials for failing to provide pumps," said Uma Narayan, a resident.
Tambaram Corporation's public health department said they are taking stock of inundated areas. "We will begin fumigating them to curb mosquito breeding. We are also setting up medical camps in each ward and helping residents shift to relief camps," said health officer B Porselvan.