Nature's Fury

El Nino, global warming or whatever the cause may be, Chennai has had its brutal effect. Though we have seen severe storms and even floods it was never before like this. Neck deep water on roads, rafts and boats are used to rescue people. All the three forces, the disaster management people, and volunteers from social organizations, even individuals are trying to help out. Yet the city is struggling to get back to normalcy.

Though our road was not affected so badly all the surrounding areas had water up to chest and ne there wasck level and boats were used. Though the government is trying its level best the intensity of the damage being insurmountable it can’t reach all people. Hence there is lot of criticism by opposition parties.
On first December my daughter called and said that our sil would be going to Bangalore and would be returning only next evening and that she wanted us to go to her house.

We left for her house around 10 in the morning and that time itself T.Nagar roads were water logged and there was heavy downpour also. She went to the market and brought some vegetables. As we had no intention of going out any where we sent the driver home and told him to come next morning. That night there was heavy rain and the next day the driver came around noon and he told that all roads were flooded and it was difficult to walk on the road as there was knee deep water. He also told that down in the apartment also up to the car parking area there was water. I told my daughter that it was better that we return home immediately or else we would get stuck up there. She also felt the same and so we returned home.

Later in the evening she called us and told that our sil had returned from Bangalore in the afternoon and straight away went to the office, but in the evening when he was returning home all roads were flooded and he could not reach home and he informed that he would be staying in the office guest house for the night. That night there was heavy downpour and water from lakes were also let out. In my daughter’s apartment all cars were submerged in the water. Though my daughter got one big 7 seater and one medium size car both were submerged and till today are not in driving condition.

At least we were safe in our houses though there was no electricity and for two three days there was no milk supply. We purchased Aroghya half litre milk packets at a price of double the normal amount from a street corner. Though the heavy rain has stopped still on and off it is drizzling. Still there are many places without power and waterlogged. Daily we are keeping track of our friends and relatives about the situation in their area. Only today we were able to contact a close friend. All mobile phones were down for 4/5 days and luckily our BSNL land line and internet was working.

Never before we have seen so much devastation in Chennai affecting the affluent and the have-nots alike. Even in Tsunami only the coastal area was affected.
People were rendered homeless and penniless and also lost valuable materials which they purchased saving money for decades. Trapped in houses many lost their precious lives.

With all these happenings it is heart-warming to see the empathy and humanitarianism shown by people without any bias of caste, creed or religion. Help is pouring down from all parts of the country and also from people abroad.
This natural calamity should be an eye-opener to the people. Builders and the corrupt politicians who allowed people to build houses at lakes and riverside by taking bribe.

Scientists can predict the natural calamities like this, but they will never be able to control them. Most of the natural calamities happen due to humans’ intervention with nature.

 

Dear Vaidehi,
I am glad to know that your parents are safe. For the last two days there was no rain and the city is limping back to normalcy. Still some places are waterlogged.

The heart wrenching part is that people who lost their dear ones had to keep.the bodies in their houses as they could not perform the last rites. The cemeteries, burial grounds and crematoriums were all waterlogged.

Along with the living dead also were left without proper facility to keep the bodies decaying. Such a pathetic situation shoud never occur again.

PS

 

Dear Surekha,
Sorry to know that you had undergone much sufferings. Only for two days we didn't have power. Four families in our flat were out of station. Hence we had no water problem. We had our water purifier tank also full and so we had enough drinking water.
Being elderly people we also keep enough cash at home to meet any emergency expenditure. Though ATMs were not working luckily our bank was open on 2nd and we were able to pay the salary to our driver through Cheque payment.

Hope that normalcy had returned in your area now.

PS

 

Dear Viji,
By God's Grace we had no major problems. But we were very much saddened to see people suffering. We could only pray that the rain should stop and peoples' sufferings should end.

PS
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