40,000 cusecs of water released from Maturantagam reservoir

As much as 40,000 cusecs of water is being released from the Maturantagam reservoir near Kanchipuram and 30,000 cusecs are being released from Chembarampakkam lake as they reached optimum levels owing to incessant rain in Tamil Nadu.

The release of huge water quantity has resulted in heavy flooding in Adyar and Cooum rivers in Chennai, submerging many places and bridges, and affecting traffic.

The Area Cyclone Warning Centre in Chennai, meanwhile, said since the low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal was stationery, rain would be experienced for three more days with the possibility occasional heavy rains in Chennai and its adjoining districts and the Nilgiris, Cuddalore, Coimbatore and the Delta districts.

Briefing the media, Indian Metrological Department (IMD)Director General L.S. Rathore said, "The rainfall is likely to continue for about a week, but situation to be critical for the next 48 hours."

"There is a possibility of the situation staying the way it is for the next three days," he added.

Meanwhile, northern Tamil Nadu is battling with the nature's fury, as the unprecedented rain has forced people to be mostly indoors. Normal life is thrown completely out of gear in many places, including Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts. Thousands of people are being evacuated from submerged areas in pockets of Chennai and most places in and around the suburban West Tambaram.

Food packets were dropped in Tambaram area from helicopters and boats are deployed for evacuation operation there.

Most of the offices in Chennai have only very thin attendance. Incessant rain from Tuesday morning went on till this morning in Chennai and its suburbs, marooning most of the residential areas.

Chennai Airport remains shut down, and flights were diverted to other nearby airports. The services of 22 express trains in the state are suspended and 11 are being diverted.