Heavy rainfall causes manhole cover to blow open due to intense water pressure in southern India
by Nishika BansalAfter relentless downpour, a manhole cover was forced open as a result of extreme water pressure building up from within the drainage system in southern India’s Tamil Nadu. The sudden surge of water caused chaos on the roads, highlighting the city’s vulnerable infrastructure during heavy rains.
The incident took place in the Perambur area of Chennai and the video went viral on October 15.
Visuals showed after continuous heavy rainfall, the manhole cover popped open on its own due to the immense pressure of water building up from inside. The force of the water was so strong that it lifted the cover, causing water to gush out forcefully onto the street.
According to reports several areas of the city have seen waterlogging as heavy rain lashed the state this morning. IT companies have also issued work-for-home orders between October 15 and 18. On Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin took stock of the preparations and steps taken by authorities to tackle the situation. The chief minister also directed that the National Disaster Response Force and Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force be deployed in advance.
Extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal on October 15 and 16, and over South Interior Karnataka on October 17. The met department has advised residents in affected regions to stay updated on weather forecasts and take necessary precautions to avoid any adverse impacts.
At least eight flights have been canceled so far as heavy rain lashed different parts of Tamil Nadu today, including Chennai. This comes owing to a well-marked low-pressure area over central parts of the south Bay of Bengal. Chennai has been witnessing heavy downpours since yesterday night and the state government has declared a holiday for schools and colleges in the city and surrounding districts.