On Wednesday, a steady downpour turned Palavoyal—just outside Chennai’s Red Hills—into a watery trap, submerging over a hundred homes. Residents of Palavoyal, Kumaran Nagar, Murugan Street and stretches along Sothupakkam Main Road told reporters that the flood began early and only worsened as the rain kept coming, even though the Regional Meteorological Centre had withdrawn the Red alert the day before.
The water rushed in from adjacent roads and broke through nearby lake embankments, making several houses flood within minutes. P. Karthik, a Kumaran Nagar resident, said, “For more than 10 years, this has been our reality.” He added, “Even moderate rain is enough to flood our streets. Today, the situation became frightening. Water reached hip level inside houses. If the lakes hadn’t breached, the waterlogging would not have become this severe.”
Many homes sit several feet below the surrounding areas and lack adequate storm‑water drains or channels to redirect runoff. Because Sothupakkam Main Road is a main runoff corridor, water rushed into the interior streets with great force, making it unsafe for anyone—particularly the elderly and children—to leave on their own.
By midday, some pockets reported water reaching chest level, forcing families to wait for help on rooftops or inside their houses. The locals described these floods as the worst they had seen in years.
The Fire and Rescue Services responded with two lorries and a boat. One of the personnel said, “We rescued a total of 56 people, including 18 children, 19 men and 15 women.” Rescue teams carried out operations all day, battling strong currents along the main road to reach those trapped by the floodwaters.
Locals noted that runoff from the main road normally drains into Singilimedu Lake. During the heavy downpour, the lake was overwhelmed by excess inflow, unable to contain the surge, which significantly contributed to the flooding.
By late evening, water levels remained high in several areas. Residents urged authorities to establish permanent drainage infrastructure and reinforce lake embankments to avert similar crises during future rainfall events.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
