Chennai airport to start partial operations from tomorrow, says AAI

Fresh rains pose threat to rescue and relief operations in flood-hit Chennai while the Met Department has warned that the state will witness less rain for next 2-3 days.

The rain respite was momentary in flood-hit Chennai. After a lull of 12 hours, Chennai has been hit by rains again.Fresh spell of rain has disrupted normal life in Puducherry and Kanchipuram.

Withdrawing its earlier statement, the Met Department on Friday said the flood-hit state will witness less rain for next 2-3 days.

Meanwhile, 5,000 cusecs of water has been released from Chembarambakkam Lake.

At least 18 people died in one of the hospitals in the flood-hit Chennai on Friday, reports said. MIOT Hospital in the city was treating some 575 patients. After the tragic incident, 57 patients have been shifted to different hospitals. Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said the reason behind death is not known yet and an investigation has been ordered into the incident.

Though water level is slowly receding in many parts of Chennai and there is no rainfall in the city and adjoining areas since morning, the flood situation continues to remain grim in the city and several parts of Tamil Nadu. The city still remains virtually cut off from the rest of the country with air, rail and road transport services.

Army chief General Dalbir Singh has reached Chennai to personally oversee relief and rescue operations. 

According to reports, Chennai faces acute shortage of necessary items while the price of food grains sky rocket due to shortage. Residents have complained about lack of medicines, milk, potable water and vegetables.

1. To clear the stranded aircraft at Chennai Airport, Airports Authority of India is going to start limited exercise from Chennai Airport during the day.
2. Limited flights resume from naval air base in Chennai. Indian Railways to run special trains to evacuate people stranded in Chennai
3. Weather department says no rainfall in Chennai for next 2-3 days
4. After a 12-hour lull, rains hit Chennai again.
5. 18 patients died in a private hospital due to flooding of generator room and resultant snap of oxygen supply in Chennai. Yesterday the toll was at 269.
6. Indian naval ship INS Airavat reaches Chennai with relief materials
7. Some 1.64 lakh people have been housed in 460 camps in Chennai, Cuddalore, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts while thousands have also been shifted to others' houses after water entered theirs
8. 40 army teams, 6 navy teams with 12 boats and several relief teams have been deployed in Chennai to intensify rescue and relief operations
9. The government has deployed 1200 NDRF personnel, 100 boats and 200 divers to rescue stranded people in flood-hit areas
10. NDRF DG O P Singh said 5 teams from Patna and Guwahati will soon leave for Chennai while 5 teams from Punjab have already reached Chennai. Another 5 teams from Pune are all set to leave for Chennai
11. Low pressure moving towards Tamil Nadu: Met Department
12. Air India to operate more flights today, private airlines to follow suit
13. Floods in Chennai are an impact of climate change: Centre for Science and Environment
14. Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore to send around 50000 food packets for Chennai floods victims.
15. Floods: A Human error

    A green body on Friday said that the floods in Chennai are an impact of climate change and the "unprecedented deluge" that the city has witnessed is a reminder of increasing frequency of such freak weather events across the Indian subcontinent. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said that Chennai could have fared better if it had protected and preserved its natural water bodies and drainage channels.

    Chennai floods: Operation Madad picks up momentum

    "We have repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that our urban sprawls such as Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Srinagar and others have not paid adequate attention to the natural water bodies that exist in them," said?CSE director general Sunita Narain.

    US offers assistance for Chennai flood victims

    The US has expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the people affected by the worst floods in Chennai and has offered assistance to address the humanitarian challenge "especially in the case of strong partners like India".
16. "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," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at his daily news conference on Thursday. 
    Train/ Air update
    Due to heavy rains and water over flowing above danger level at Railway Bridges in Chennai - Gudur Section the following trains are cancelled/diverted as detailed below:-
    I) Trains Cancelled:
    1. Train No. 12688 Dehradun-Chennai Central Express scheduled to depart Dehradun on 04.12.2015 is cancelled.
    2. Train No. 22801 Vishakapatnam- Chennai Central scheduled to depart Visakhapatnam on 04.12.2015 is cancelled.
    3. Train No. 13351 Dhanbad-Allepy Express scheduled to depart Dhanbad on 04.12.2015 and 05.12.2015 is cancelled.
    4. Train No. 22644 Patna-Ernakukam Express scheduled to depart Patna on 03.12.2015 and 04.12.2015 is cancelled.
    5. Train No. 12508 Guwahati-Trivendrum Express scheduled to depart Guwahati on 04.12.2015 is cancelled.
    6. Train No. 15906 Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Express scheduled to depart Dibrugarh on 04.12.2015 and 05.12.2015 is cancelled.
    II) Trains Diverted:
    1. Train No.12516 Guwahati-Trivendrum Express which left Guwahati on 02.12.15 which is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.
    2. Train No. 12552 Kamahkya (Guwahati) - Yesvantapur Express which left Kamakhya on 02.12.2015 is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.
    3. Train No. 12296 Patna-Banglore Express which left Patna on 02.12.2015 is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.
    4. Train No. 12652 H.Nizamuddin-Madurai Express which left H.Nizamuddin on 03.12.2015 is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.
    5. Train No. 12511 Gorakhpur-Trivendrum Express which left Gorakhpur on 03.12.2015 is now diverted to run via., Renigunta, Melpakam, Katpadi.
    Train services from Chennai Beach station to Arakkonam will be at intervals of 45 minutes. The state government is making arrangements to move people from the station to  Rajali Naval Base
17. The arrival/ departure  timings of seven flights as approved by Navy for 4th and 5th December, 2015 to operate  to/from Arakkonam are as follows. However, Air India is expected to operate more flights on Friday. Private airlines will also to resume services :
    1. Truejet (Hyderabad- Arakkonam-Hyderabad) 0830/0855 (only on 04 Dec),
    2. Spicejet (Cochin-Arakkonam-Bangalore) 0945/1115
    3. Spicejet  (Cochin-Arakkonam-Bangalore) 1500/1630,
    4. Indigo (Hyderabad-Arakkonam-Bangalore) 1130/1300
    5. Indigo (Bangalore-Arakkonam-Delhi) 1645/1815,
    6. Air India (Hyderabad- Arakkonam-Hyderabad) 1315/1445
    7. Air India (Hyderabad-Arakkonam-Bangalore) 1830/1945.