Chennai floods take their toll to banks, ATMs

People left with less cash as bank branches, cash booths not working

While on the one side, the cost of essential products including water, milk, candle, bread and other food items has gone up by nearly 3-5 times, people who are able to afford them are facing cash crunch as bank branches and ATMs are not working.

Debit and credit cards were also not working and shops, petrol bunks and many hotels are not accepting them as connections were down.

Murali, a marketing executive from Madurai, who is working in Chennai said that everyday he is borrowing from his friends as he could not withdraw money from banks, ATMs. He decided to leave Chennai temporarily and even to buy bus ticket , he collected Rs 50 each from his 12 of his friends.

Similar cases have been reported from everywhere, as almost all the ATMs were not working. Representatives from banks said employees are not able to reach bank branches, vehicles and people are not able to access ATMs to refill them. And above all ATMs are not working due to power cut.

In many places residents are facing power cuts for the last three days as electricity board has decided to switch off due to the high level of water stagnation across the city. "We don't want to take any chance, we don't know where the power lines are cut. Besides many power substations and boards are in waters," said an EB official.