The city of Chennai is inundated and transport is interrupted. The blackout in the electrical system prevents communication with residents. The rains have stopped falling but now the population is without drinking water. Catholic source: "No one has news of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate, but we hope that someone went to their rescue”. Hunt is on for those responsible, illegal building, city unprepared for extreme weather events.

Chennai (AsiaNews) - The entire city of Chennai "is flooded. Entire neighborhoods were flooded and communications are interrupted”, a local anonymous Catholic source tells AsiaNews, commenting on the violent floods that hit the coastal area of ​​Chennai this week, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The storm has claimed more than 260 victims and the government has deployed the army to bring relief. The railways are still blocked and the airport was closed to air traffic. But now "the main problem is that there is no drinking water. The rain stopped and the population is unable to collect the water to boil and then drink".

Since this morning the incessant rains have stopped falling and water is receding in some southern areas of the city. But the picture is mixed, and experts believe that it will take several weeks before the entire area can return to normal.

The most worrying aspect, says the source, "is that there is no way to communicate with the affected areas. Trains are blocked, even those heading north to other states, and telephone communications are impossible, because of the blackout that has affected the electrical system". In fact the electricity supply was interrupted in the area to avoid short-circuit "and this prevents us from having contact with people who reside there."

Chennai it is also the home of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate (female congregation associated with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions), and "no one has heard from them. The sisters' house is slightly raised above the road surface, but some witnesses have told us that everything is flooded. We are very concerned, we hope they have found shelter and have enough supplies and water to drink. "

In recent days the soldiers sent by the government have rescued about 7 thousand people, but "now that the risk is that these people who sought refuge in their homes will be abandoned. We know that those who were transported to tent camps also receive assistance with the use of helicopters, on the other hand no one thinks about the people who were inside the home. The situation is very bad. "

The predominant feeling "is that the government cannot deal with this emergency. People have created forms of spontaneous solidarity, bringing aid and assistance in the neighborhood. " The source said that a group of people organized themselves independently and went from house to house to ensure the conditions of neighbors and distribute aid. "We are confident that the missionaries have been helped by someone. They live in a quiet area, and residents appreciate their work. "

The natural disaster that has plagued the Indian state has already begun to raise controversy. Some experts argue that the flood has shown "that Indian cities are not prepared to deal with extreme weather events such as heavy rains, drought and storms caused by cyclones, which are becoming more frequent."

They blame unauthorized building in the construction of residential areas. Scholars say that "the cities are built without a unified planning and without taking into account the flow of the waters." Even the source told AsiaNews: "In areas affected some houses were built below the sea level. Unfortunately there are those who take advantage of the situation and act without thinking of the harmful consequences for the environment. "

The local analysis report that in 20 years of unbridled building more than 300 lakes, rivers and natural waterways have disappeared. The Chennai administration reports that there are about 150 thousand buildings constructed without permits.

• INDIA
• CHENNAI
• FLOODS
• aid
• emergency
• rescue