Greater Chennai Corporation identifies areas prone to chronic inundation in each zone

The North East monsoon of 2022 recorded one high vulnerability zone, eight medium vulnerability zones, 28 low vulnerability zones - a total of 28 zones were recorded by the Greater Chennai Corporation in the plan.

As the monsoon sets in across the city, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has identified vulnerable locations prone to chronic inundation in each zone as part of its City Disaster Management Plan.

According to data recorded during the 2015 floods, 37 areas were found to have very high vulnerability, with inundation levels reaching over 5 ft, while 84 locations fell under the high vulnerability category, with inundation levels between 3 ft and 5 ft. One area with medium vulnerability and water stagnation level of 2-3 ft was recorded, and 184 areas with low vulnerability, where inundation level was less than 2 ft, was identified. In total, 306 locations were classified.

In 2017, no areas with very high vulnerability or high vulnerability were recorded, while 23 areas with medium vulnurability and 182 areas with low vulnerability were identified, for a roundup of 205 locations. One area with medium vulnerability and 52 with low vulnerability were recorded in 2018, while 19 and 23 low vulnerability areas were noted in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

The pattern shifted again in 2021, when heavy rain was noted in November and Decemeber, with 18 high vulnerability, 61 medium vulnerability, and 482 low vulnerability spots, 561 in all, were recorded. In 2022, 37 areas – one high vulnerability, eight medium vulnerability, and 28 low vulnerability – prone to chronic inundation were identified. The process to identify such areas is ongoing for 2023.

The GCC, in the document, mentioned that the biggest challenge after floodwater recedes was clearing out the garbage and sludge from roads and streets.

To handle the garbage, 16,111 sanitary workers and labourers with 675 lorries and 100 earth movers were mobilised from other local bodies. “The entire team along with 2,500 labourers of the GCC were deployed for cleaning the debris throughout the city on a war footing. Between December 7, 2015 and January 2, 2016, the GCC cleared 2.2 lakh tonnes of garbage and debris i.e. 8,148 tonnes was cleared each day,” the civic body stated in the plan.