2015 South India floods

2015 South Indian floods

Submerged bridges in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Date	8 November 2015 (2015-11-08) – ongoing
Location	South India (Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh)
Deaths	Tamil Nadu: 269 (approximate) Andhra Pradesh: 81 Puducherry: 2
Property damage	Over ₹20,000 crore (US$2 billion) Tamil Nadu: ₹8,481 crore (US$1 billion) Andhra Pradesh: ₹3,819 crore (US$458 million) Puducherry: ₹183.089 crore (US$22 million)

The 2015 South Indian floods have resulted from heavy rainfall during the annual northeast monsoon in November–December 2015. They affected the Coromandel Coast region of the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and the union territory of Puducherry, with the city of Chennai particularly hard-hit. More than 300 people have died and over 18 lakh (1.8 million) people have been displaced as a result, with damages and losses estimated to be more than ₹20,000 crore (US$2 billion).

Background

On 8 November 2015, during the annual cyclone season, a low pressure area consolidated into a depression and slowly intensified into a deep depression before crossing the coast of Tamil Nadu near Puducherry the following day. Due to land interaction and high vertical wind shear, the system weakened into a well-marked low pressure area over north Tamil Nadu on 10 November. The system brought very heavy rainfall over the coastal and the north interior districts of Tamil Nadu. On 15th November, a well-marked low pressure area moved northwards along the Tamil Nadu coast, dropping huge amounts of rainfall over coastal Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh with 24 hour totals peaking at 370 mm in Ponneri. Chennai International Airport recorded 266 mm of rainfall in 24 hours. On 28–29 November, another system developed and arrived over Tamil Nadu on 30 November, bringing additional rain and flooding. The system dropped 490 mm of rainfall at Tambaram in 24 hours from 8:30 am of 1st December. Very heavy rains led to flooding across the entire stretch from Chennai to Cuddalore.

Floods

Tamil Nadu

Aerial view of submerged Chennai airport taken by Indian Air Force helicopters

On 9–10 November 2015, Neyveli received 483 mm (19.0 in) of rainfall; rains continued to lash Cuddalore, Chidambaram and Chennai. Continuing rains led to low-lying parts of Chennai becoming inundated by 13 November, resulting in the evacuation of over 1000 people from their homes. On 15–16 November, Chennai received 246.5 mm (9.70 in) of rainfall, the highest amount recorded since November 2005, flooding most areas of the city. The flooding in Chennai city was worsened by years of illegal development and inadequate levels of flood preparedness. Much of the city remained flooded on 17 November, though rainfall had largely ceased.

Though rainfall from the earlier low pressure system ended on 25 November, a second system developed on 29 November, bringing additional rain and the Indian Meteorological Department predicted heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu until the end of the week. On 1 December, heavy rains led to inundation in many areas of Chennai. By afternoon, power supplies was suspended to 60% of the city while several city hospitals stopped functioning. The same day, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa announced that, due to the continued flooding and rains, half-yearly school examinations originally scheduled for 7 December would be postponed until the first week in January. For the first time since its founding in 1878, the major newspaper The Hindu did not publish a print edition on 2 December, as workers were unable to reach the press building. The Southern Railways cancelled major train services and Chennai International Airport was closed until 6 December. Chennai was officially declared a disaster area on the evening of 2 December. At the MIOT Hospital, 14 patients died after power and oxygen supplies failed. With a letup in rainfall, floodwaters gradually began to recede in parts of Chennai on 4 December, though most of the city remained submerged and safe food and drinking water remained in short supply. Though relief efforts were well underway across most of the area by 3 December, the lack of any coordinated relief response in North Chennai forced thousands of its residents to evacuate on their own.

Chennai received 1,049 mm (41.3 in) of rainfall in November, the highest since receiving 1,088 mm (42.8 in) in November 1918. The flooding in Chennai city was described as the worst in a century. As of 1 December, over 200 people in Tamil Nadu were reported to have died due to the flooding since 8 November, while over 70,000 people had been rescued. The continued rains led to schools and colleges remaining closed across Puducherry and Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts in Tamil Nadu and fishermen were warned against sailing due to high waters and rough seas.

The state government reported preliminary flood damages of ₹8,481 crore (US$1 billion), and requested ₹2,000 crore (US$240 million) for immediate relief efforts. The persistent rainfall and flooding forced several major automakers in the region, including Ford, Renault, Nissan and Daimler AG to temporarily halt production, resulting in estimated losses of ₹200 crore (US$24 million). Industry analysts estimated total industrial losses as a result of the floods to be in the range of ₹10,000 to 15,000 crores. Prices of vegetables and fruits significantly increased, as over 50% of supplies were affected due to numerous lorries becoming stranded. The Indian Oil Corporation was forced to close its large Manali refinery in Chennai due to the floods. The popular television networks namely Puthiya Thalaimurai, Jaya TV and Mega TV halted their services due to technical difficulties due to the floods. Motorcycle producer Royal Enfield shut its Chennai offices on 1 December, as well as its plants in Thiruvottiyur and Oragadam, which had already lost the production of 4,000 motorcycles in November.

Puducherry

Puducherry experienced relatively minor damage in November as the depression largely remained offshore; some trees were downed and several banana and sugarcane plantations at Kuttchipalayam were severely damaged. Puducherry reported receiving 55.7 mm of rainfall over the 24-hour period from 14–15 November. Water entered several houses in low-lying areas, while three houses collapsed in Uppalam. Mudaliarpet, parts of Rainbow Nagar, Muthialpet, Krishna Nagar and Lawspet Main Road were inundated, along with portions of roadways near Karuvadikkuppam and the Shivaji statue on the ECR, causing traffic problems. Several roads were badly damaged, hindering motorists, while some members of the public took the initiative to begin clearing areas of water without directions from the government. Chief Minister N Rangasamy stated the official machinery had been readied in preparation for any flooding, while local administration officials closed all schools and colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal districts on 16 November, anticipating further rainfall.

On 24 November, it was reported over 4800 hectares of farmland had been flooded, though it remained too early to determine the extent of crop damage. On 26 November, the state government submitted a preliminary estimate of damages to the central government, requesting it to release an initial ₹182.45 crore (US$22 million) for relief; based on preliminary estimates, Chief Minister Rangasamy reported losses as follows: public works (₹120.89 crore (US$14 million)), municipal administration (₹48.66 crore (US$6 million)), agriculture (₹7.2 crore (US$862,696)), power (₹3.14 crore (US$376,231)), revenue (₹2.48 crore (US$297,151)) and animal husbandry (₹7.19 lakh (US$8,615)). On 1 December, Rangasamy requested an additional ₹100 crore (US$12 million) for "immediate interim relief."

A 65-year-old man in Ariyankuppam was killed on 9 November when a mud wall collapsed, while a 53-year-old man in Uppalam was subsequently reported to have died due to the rain.

Andhra Pradesh

As rainfall began in Andhra Pradesh on 16 November, local authorities closed schools in Chittoor district. Thousands of lakes and ponds across the district overflowed, with breaches reported in some areas. At Sri Kalahasti, a pilgrimage centre in the region, the Swarnamukhi River was reported to be rising. Three people were swept away by floodwaters in Chittoor district, and water entered some houses. Roads were damaged in many parts of Nellore district, disrupting transport services. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with the district collectors of affected districts and asked disaster response personnel to be on alert.

Heavy rainfall in Nellore, Chittoor and Kadapa districts flooded villages and disrupted transport networks. It was estimated by 18 November that at least 500 km of roads had been damaged by flooding, with the Chennai-Kolkata highway cut the previous day and stranding hundreds of vehicles and motorists; officials said it would take days to restore the link. As in Tamil Nadu, the Southern Railway diverted or cancelled numerous trains. Over 10,000 lorry drivers were stranded on the Tada-Kavali national highway in Nellore district; district officers established 61 relief camps in the flood-affected areas and deputed senior IAS officers to oversee the relief operations in Gudur, Naidupet and Atmakur divisions, respectively. Up to 500 tanks were breached as rivers overflowed, forcing administration to suspend rescue operations for marooned villages, though administrators supplied 10,000 food and water packets through the rail network, which managed to operate some trains, while the APSRTC continued to run bus services to less-flooded areas such as Atmakuru, Udayagiri, Marripadu and Seetharampuram.

In Kadapa district, the rains tapered off by Wednesday and road links between Tirupati-Kadapa were restored; preliminary estimates were that the district had sustained about ₹29 crore (US$3 million) of agricultural losses. Horticulture farms at Pendlimerry, Chintakommadinne, Siddhavatam and Khajipet mandals were also destroyed by the rain. Other heavy agricultural losses were reported in Rayalaseema, Nellore, Prakasam, East and West Godavari districts; the chief minister asked agriculture department officials to drain fields at the earliest in order to save crops.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 November, Chief Minister Naidu reported preliminary estimates of flood-related damage in Andhra Pradesh included ₹1,250 crore (US$150 million) worth of agricultural-related damages and ₹1,025 crore (US$123 million) of damage to infrastructure; he requested central authorities to release ₹1,000 crore (US$120 million) for immediate relief efforts. According to Naidu, Nellore district was the most seriously affected, reporting an estimated ₹1,395 crore (US$167 million) worth of losses, followed by Chittoor district, which reported losses of ₹818 crore (US$98 million). Kadapa district was also seriously affected, with extensive crop damage reported in East and West Godavari districts and a lesser scale of damage in Anantapur, Prakasam and Krishna districts. The aquaculture industry in Nellore district was catastrophically affected, with over 8000 hectares of fish and prawn ponds destroyed, at an estimated loss of ₹250 crore (US$30 million). On 2 December, Thota Narasimham, an MP from the Telugu Desam Party, reported in the Lok Sabha that preliminary losses in the state roughly totalled ₹3,819 crore (US$458 million).

Heavy rains resumed on 2 December, adding to the devastation in Nellore and Chittoor districts, with more rains forecast over the ensuing days; Chittoor district received 50-160 mm of rainfall. Chief Minister Naidu directed district officials and health, water and sanitation officers to organise water purification and set up medical relief camps. On 4 December, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa reported heavy infrastructural losses in Nellore and Chittoor districts, with heavy agricultural losses in Godavari district; he added that over 5,00,000 acres of standing crops had been destroyed, and that the state government had requested ₹3,750 crore (US$449 million) in immediate relief funds from the central government. As of 4 December, 81 people were reported to have been killed by flooding in the state, while over 14,000 people had been evacuated to relief camps in Nellore and Chittoor districts.

Response

Relief efforts

Relief efforts by the Indian Navy in Chennai

Indian Navy officers distribute drinking water in chennai

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced an initial allocation of ₹500 crore (US$60 million) for relief and rehousing, with ₹4 lakh (US$4,800) for each family who had lost relatives in the floods. 12 cyclone shelters were readied in Nagapattinam district, while 11 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NRDF) were dispatched to Tamil Nadu. The Indian Air Force deployed four helicopters to airlift flood victims from inundated parts of Chennai city. Over 5,300 people had been rescued by 16 November and dozens of relief camps established.

The Indian Coast Guard and the three other branches of the Indian Armed Forces conducted rescue operations across Tamil Nadu, with the Indian Army and Air Force rescuing people in Kancheepuram district. The IAF conducted 25 sorties in Tamil Nadu and in Andhra Pradesh, air-dropping 5000 kg of supplies and rescuing 25 stranded people before ceasing operations on 20 November. Uninterrupted power supply had been restored in 671 of the 683 village panchayats in Cuddalore district, with the remaining panchayats supplied with drinking water through tanker lorries. 40 medical camps and 121 special camps for cattle stock had been constructed and 70 relief camps had distributed 58,000 food packets. Upwards of 5,335 people living in low-lying areas had been evacuated and over 90,000 food packets distributed in 101 relief camps. In Tiruvallur district, 18,501 food packets were distributed through 57 relief camps and 2,958 people had been given shelter. In Kancheepuram district, people in low-lying areas had been moved to safety and 16,000 food packets distributed. It was reported on 18 November that 55,000 people across Tamil Nadu had been screened for water- and vector-borne diseases in medical camps, while a further 402 mobile medical units were operating. On 22 November, the central government released an initial ₹939.63 crore (US$113 million) for immediate relief efforts in the state, sanctioning a further ₹1,000 crore (US$120 million) on 3 December.

With the return of flooding and rains on 30 November, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi assured all possible help to Tamil Nadu on 1 December. The NRDF, the Coast Guard and the three other branches of the Indian Armed Forces resumed the evacuation of stranded people. In Chennai, the Chennai Corporation established 80 relief centres to accommodate around 10845 people. The Chennai City Police mobilised over 10,000 police officers and trained swimmers. The NRDF had deployed 22 rescue teams to Tamil Nadu by the night of 2 December, and had rescued over 500 people. As of the evening of 2 December, over 4,500 people had been evacuated to 24 relief camps in Chennai district, with a further 23,000 people in 99 relief camps in Kancheepuram district and nearly 2,000 others in 25 camps in Tiruvallur district. By the afternoon of 3 December, the NDRF said it had rescued over 5,000 people; 11 army columns were in position by the evening. Over 1,500 stranded passengers were evacuated from Chennai International by the evening of 2 December. By 4 December, the IAF had established air bridges from Meenambakkam to Arakonnam and between Arakonnam and Tambaram Air Base, nearly 30 kms from Chennai; it had rescued over 200 people from both locations. The NRDF deployed over 20 more teams in the Chennai area, and had rescued over 10,000 people in all by the afternoon.

The Indian Navy orchestrated a disaster relief operation under the command of Rear Admiral Alok Bhatnagar, the Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu, Puducherry Naval Area (TNNA). The Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy rushed an amphibious warfare vessel, the INS Airavat, to Chennai on 2 December, with a complement of 20 divers, five Gemini boats, four landing craft and two boats. Three naval flood relief teams, comprising 86 trained swimmers and divers and three officers, were rushed to Tamil Nadu, along with several hundred food packets. The INS Rajali naval air station at Arakkonam functioned as a makeshift airport for transporting relief materials and evacuating stranded people. On 3 December, the Eastern Naval Command despatched the fleet tanker INS Shakti and the stealth guided missile frigate INS Sahyadri to Tamil Nadu; the ships brought 105 additional divers, 200 tents, 3000 towels, 1000 blankets, 10 field kitchens and food, milk powder, medicines, 5000 litres of bottled water and 700 tonnes of fresh water.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Union Minister of Telecommunications said BSNL would provide free services through the week. Telecom major Airtel announced loan credit of ₹30 (36¢ US) and free benefits of calls and 50 MB of data. Other telecom operators including Vodafone, Airtel, Aircel, Reliance Communications and Paytm also offered free benefits to customers. Mobile healthcare startup DocsApp, provided free consultation with specialist doctors through mobile. Companies including Ola Cabs and Practo aided in the relief efforts.

In Madurai district, state officials distributed ₹13.93 lakh (US$16,691) to 412 people whose houses had been partly or completely damaged due to flooding; 111 people in the first category each received ₹5,000 (US$60), while each of the others received ₹4,100 (US$49).

Andhra Pradesh

In Andhra Pradesh, the state government announced an initial ex gratia payment of ₹5 lakh (US$6,000) to the relatives of flood victims, while 140 relief camps were established in Nellore district, the worst affected. ₹2 crore (US$239,638) of relief supplies were distributed to fishermen, weavers and local communities in the district; other organisations helped to distribute food packets and blankets. On 24 November, the central government stated it had released an initial ₹1,030 crore (US$123 million) towards relief efforts, with further funds possible following an assessment. On 3 December, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu offered support to Tamil Nadu, which had likewise been severely affected by the floods.

Puducherry

During the floods in December, the administration in Puducherry evacuated over 1,000 people to relief centres and distributed over 2 lakh food packets to affected citizens. The NRDF deployed two teams in Puducherry; several voluntary organisations launched relief efforts, distributing blankets, food and water.

State and national response

India responded to the floods with an outpouring of support. President Pranab Mukherjee said he was "saddened by the loss of human lives and serious damage to infrastructure in Chennai," stating his "prayers and good wishes are with the people of Tamil Nadu during this difficult time." On 2 December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the ongoing flood situation with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. In the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said that Singh would chair a high-level meeting to deliver relief to the people of Tamil Nadu. He said the ministers were "trying to coordinate with various agencies on relief operations," and that he had alerted the Civil Aviation Ministry to send food to the relief camps. "Since the runway[s] [are] full of water, we have to send food and other basic amenities to the people stranded [at Chennai airport]," Naidu said, adding that he was moved by the "plight of ordinary people [in Tamil Nadu]". He concluded that it was "time for Parliament to convey to [the] people that [they should] be confident." As the extent of the disaster became clear, the Prime Minister flew to Chennai on the afternoon of 3 December to personally review the relief efforts; he met with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and conducted an aerial survey of flood-stricken areas in the city. In a brief statement which he began in Tamil, upon arriving at Adyar naval base, Modi expressed support and later tweeted “The Government of India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Tamil Nadu in this hour of need.”

Political parties in Tamil Nadu demanded swift action and the allocation of central government relief funds. Opposition party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) donated ₹1 crore (US$119,819) to the state government on behalf of the party. DMK leader Karunanidhi however criticised the government's disbursement of ₹500 crore (US$60 million) as insufficient considering the amount of damage resulting from the floods. He and local Communist Party of India state secretary R. Mutharasan urged efforts to obtain large amounts of federal disaster relief funding; Karunanidhi further suggested soliciting funds "from the rich in Tamil Nadu for disaster relief and the establishment of party monitoring committees to ensure a speedy disbursal of relief "without any discrimination." Anbumani Ramadoss, Lok Sabha MP from Pattali Makkal Katchi demanded an immediate ₹5,000 (US$60) be disbursed to families that had lost their livelihoods due to the flooding. On 18 November, Amit Shah, the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, stated the party would donate ₹1 crore (US$119,819) towards flood-relief efforts in Tamil Nadu and also established a three-person commission to visit the state and report on the progress of the relief efforts with the delegation headed by Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman, accompanied by Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and MP Gopal Chinayya Shetty. Sonia Gandhi, the president of the Indian National Congress expressed her distress urging central and state governnment authorities to spare no effort in their relief works, and that Congress party workers were prepared to aid in the crisis. On 2 December, Rahul Gandhi, vice-president of the INC, expressed his concern via Twitter, stating his thoughts were with the people of Tamil Nadu, and urging Congress party workers in the affected regions to "extend all possible assistance."

Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members made urgent requests for all possible assistance on behalf of the flood-stricken areas. T.G. Venkatesh Babu, Lok Sabha MP from the AIADMK, thanked the central government and Modi for their efforts and requested further aid for Tamil Nadu from the National Disaster Response Fund; he insisted the flood situation in the state should be declared a "national calamity." In the Rajya Sabha on 2 December, leaders of major parties from both sides of the house, including the INC and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), agreed to donate funds from the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS); the specific amount was to be decided upon. On 3 December, Home Minister Rajnath Singh stated in Parliament that the flood situation was "alarming," and that Chennai had "turned into an island." Singh reiterated the central government would provide all necessary assistance to Tamil Nadu.

The Karnataka state government announced on 2 December that it would donate ₹5 crore (US$599,095) in relief funds to Tamil Nadu, and said it was also ready to donate 100 tonnes of powdered milk worth ₹1.5 crore (US$179,728). Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik expressed his concern over the flooding in Tamil Nadu to his counterpart Jayalalithaa; on 4 December, the Odisha state government donated ₹5 crore (US$599,095) to Tamil Nadu. In a letter to Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal said he was "deeply saddened to learn about the havoc [caused] by incessant rains in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu" and conveyed "deepest sympathies for the loss of life and property...on behalf of the people of Delhi," and pledged "fullest support and all resources at my disposal towards any cooperation required." On 3 December, the Bihar state government announced it would donate a further ₹5 crore (US$599,095) to Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar attributed the heavy flooding in Tamil Nadu to the effects of climate change and expressed concern: "Where earlier there used to be less rain, it is now witnessing excessive rain, we all are bothered about this...[the feelings of] the people of Bihar are with [the] citizens of Tamil Nadu in this hour of crisis." His deputy, Tejashwi Yadav, said he would donate his first month's salary to victims of the flooding in Tamil Nadu, and encouraged local legislators to likewise donate generously.

Individual responses

In Chennai, people across the city offered aid, shelter and food through social media; Chennai residents set up a temporary website (Chennairains.org) to crowd source information about Chennai residents needing help and about those who were ready to help. Twitter, Whatsapp, Facebook and other social media sites were extensively used to relay information about flooded areas, rescue agencies and food and relief centers. Facebook activated its "safety check" feature to allow Chennai residents to let friends know they were safe, while Google posted a link on its homepage called "Resources for the Chennai Floods", providing details about relief camps and updates on the situation in the city. Several Twitter hashtags including #ChennaiFloods, #ChennaiRains and #PrayForChennai were among the top trending hashtags across Twitter in India.

Several notable figures also contributed towards relief efforts; Rajinikanth donated ₹10 lakh (US$11,982) to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund, while his son-in-law Dhanush donated ₹5 lakh (US$5,991). Noted actor Suriya, with his brother Karthi, contributed ₹25 lakh (US$29,955) to the fund, while actor Vishal donated ₹10 lakh (US$11,982). Telugu actor Allu Arjun donated ₹25 lakh (US$29,955) to the relief fund, while his cousins Varun Tej and Sai Dharam Tej donated ₹3 lakh (US$3,595) and ₹3 lakh (US$3,595) in food and medicines respectively. Other noted actors, including Ravi Teja, N. T. Rama Rao Jr. and Mahesh Babu, donated a further ₹30 lakh (US$35,946). Badminton player Saina Nehwal said she would donate ₹2 lakh (US$2,396) for the flood victims. tamil actor ajith kumar donated 60 Lakhs and 3500 blankets

International response

On 30 November, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) released 295,550 CHF (₹192.78 lakh (US$230,987)) through the Indian Red Cross to assist 17,500 of those affected with disease prevention and relief efforts.

• Bangladesh – The government of Bangladesh expressed firm solidarity with India. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina offered her condolences. “We pray for the salvation and eternal peace of the departed souls. As a close friend and neighbour, we stand firmly by you at this difficult hour,” Hasina said.
• France – While presiding over the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius issued a statement expressing his country's solidarity with the affected people of Chennai. “Flooding in India’s Chennai region has taken a tragic toll. I want to express France’s solidarity with all those affected by this tragedy. The unprecedented magnitude of the flooding confirms yet again that we no longer have time. We must take concrete and urgent action against climate disruption."
• Malaysia – The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Malaysian Government expressed its condolences and sympathies to the Indian Government and its people, especially to those affected by the floods.
• Maldives – In a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Abdulla Yameen said he was deeply saddened to learn of the severe flooding. "I wish the recovery efforts every success, and commend the tenacity of the people of India during this challenging time,” Yameen said. "Please also convey our sincere condolences to the members of the bereaved families, and our solidarity with the residents of the hardest hit regions.”
• Sri Lanka – President Maithripala Sirisena expressed his "deepest condolences" to the people affected by the floods in Chennai. "My heart goes out to our neighbors in Chennai as they make it through this difficult time," Sirisena said in a Twitter message.
• United States – United States Department of State Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner expressed his country's condolences to the families of affected people, and offered to provide assistance to the people of Tamil Nadu and the Indian Government. “The US stands ready to assist the people of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, as well as the Government of India as they face the worst flooding in decades. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the people who have perished in these floods, and our thoughts are with those families who are still trapped and whose livelihoods are affected,” Toner said. “The US is in touch with the Government of India to discuss ways that we can provide any assistance at this difficult time. Certainly, India is a very developed government with its own domestic services or capabilities to provide emergency assistance. That said, it’s something we normally do especially in the cases of strong partners like India, where we offer whatever assistance we can in the aftermath of natural disasters.” He advised U.S. citizens to divert all travel to the affected areas, while those in the region were advised to shelter in place and monitor updates from the US consulate general.

Analysis

Union Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar termed the Chennai floods a “natural disaster of unprecedented scale”, and said it provided lessons to improve urban planning and improve city governance. "Chennai gives a lesson, and we must learn from this lesson and improve our urban planning and improve city governance, which is very essential." Javadekar said the exact causes of the flooding - whether the result of climate change or stemming from other causes - remained in “a grey area” as experts had differing opinions. Regarding the current floods, he said the United Nations would not deem the evidence conclusive enough to be able to reach a judgment. "One thing is sure, climate change brings such disasters more frequently. So [the] frequency, [the] ferocity of untimely rains increases, [along with] erratic monsoons, droughts and floods; all these are caused [by climate change].” he said. He also criticised the Chennai Corporation for not having done enough "to remove all encroachments. Unless you allow the drains to flow freely to the sea, water will be clogged and that is what has unfortunately happened.”

Media reports stated the Chennai Corporation had ignored September warnings of above-average monsoonal rains issued by the Indian Meteorological Department, and that extensive and costly projects begun in 2013 to desilt city storm drains had been ineffectively conducted. The drains themselves were reported to have been shoddily built and improperly designed. A 2014 CAG report revealed that a diversion channel from the Buckingham canal near Okkiyum Maduvu to the sea (a drain project under the JNNURM scheme) could have saved South Chennai from flooding; the government, however, dropped the 100 crore scheme, which, had it been completed, would have drained floodwater from southern neighborhood at a rate of 3,500 cubic feet per second. The 2014 CAG report said the defective planning of flood control projects caused delays and increased costs, defeating the objective of the scheme. "The fact is that alleviation of inundation of flood water in Chennai city remains largely unachieved," it said.

Sunita Narain, the director of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) think tank, said the unprecedented floods in the Chennai metropolitan region were the direct result of unregulated urbanisation. According to Narain, “our urban sprawls such as Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Srinagar etc. have not paid adequate attention to the natural water bodies that exist in them. In Chennai, each of its lakes has a natural flood discharge channel which drains the spillover. But we have built over many of these water bodies, blocking the smooth flow of water. We have forgotten the art of drainage. We only see land for buildings, not for water.” According to research conducted by CSE, Chennai had over 600 lakes in the 1980s, but a master plan published in 2008 showed only a fraction of them to be in a healthy condition. State records have shown the total area of 19 major lakes shrank from 1,130 hectares in the 1980s to around 645 hectares in the early 2000s, reducing their storage capacity. Drains carrying surplus water from tanks to other wetlands have also been encroached upon, while city storm water drains are clogged and require immediate desilting. Chennai has only 855 km of stormwater drains against 2,847 km of urban roads, resulting in flooding after even a marginally heavy downpour.

In 2006, a study by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune showed extreme precipitation events had increased in frequency and intensity in India over the period from 1950 to the 2000s; while CSE’s climate change experts recommend detailed attribution studies to establish more links between the Chennai floods and climate change, they did state that existing scientific studies establish a possible connection.

Criticism

In Tamil Nadu, the ruling AIADMK and the opposing DMK political parties were criticized by the media for using the disaster for their own political purposes. Following a statement by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that the flooding had been the result of exceptional rainfall, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issued a strong criticism on 16 November, stating that the flooding in Chennai could have been averted if local and state officials had taken strong precautions. The state BJP president, Tamilisai Soundararajan, said: "Even if it was six months of rain on a single day, the administration should have been ready to tackle it." Tamilisai mentioned the cleaning and de-silting of the Cooum River would allow it to divert large amounts of runoff during the monsoons.

In North Chennai, area residents staged protests and criticised the state government for its lack of any rescue response in their locality. In Puducherry, AIADMK legislator A. Anbazhagan said that the government was not providing relief to affected people and had not taken any precautions, contrary to the government's assurances; he added the administration failed to promptly mobilise various essential departments and urged the territorial administration to carefully prepare a report to ensure delivery of relief to those affected.