In Tamil Nadu, India, severe rains have left hundreds of people trapped

 In Tamil Nadu, India, severe rains have left hundreds of people trapped

Reuters, Chennai Parts of Tamil Nadu, in southern India, have had heavy rains, which have flooded roads, disrupted rail services, and left officials rushing to rescue trapped people.

The state was barely getting over the devastation left by Cyclone Michong, which hit the coast this month and killed at least 13 people, when the downpour happened.

The meteorological authority said that further rain is forecast on Tuesday. Tamil Nadu got nearly 50 mm of rain between Sunday and Monday, compared to the typical of 2.5 mm at this time of year.

Local media claimed that floods and rainfall mostly damaged the districts of Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari, resulting in at least five fatalities.

Segments of Indian news service ANI, in which Reuters has a minority investment, showed residences looking like remote islands surrounded by murky, brown water on Tuesday, with whole neighborhoods still flooded.

Teams were rescuing people from houses and temples using inflatable rafts and giving food packages to others who couldn't get to safety.

P. Veeramanikandan, a citizen of Tirunelveli, who was one of the volunteers assisting authorities in the rescue attempts, said that some regions were still too unsafe to access.

"Areas along the river are still badly affected, while water levels have started receding in other areas," he said.

Due to the suspension of rail services in the area, around 500 passengers on their way to the capital Chennai were left stranded at a station on Tuesday afternoon after their train had terminated more than 36 hours earlier, according to local media.

"Record rainfall"—the highest in six decades, according to the state government—combined with the fact that it was heavier than expected and that warnings came "a little late" to explain the mayhem.

At a press conference, Chief Minister MK Stalin said that 12,653 individuals had been evacuated by the state and placed in 141 relief camps with food, water, medication, and other necessities. Additionally, food is delivered via helicopter.

Floods do not spare Tamil Nadu. Its capital, Chennai, was completely destroyed eight years ago by intense rains that flooded a significant portion of the city and claimed over 290 lives.