Chennai managed to mitigate the impact of cyclone Mandous with on-the-ground solutions.
How was it done? A couple of days after Mandous made landfall, Chennai and some districts in the state that were in its path were able to mitigate its impact. Being a large metropolis, Chennai took extra precautions during this year’s Northeast monsoon. A command centre was set up at the Ripon Building, and food distribution and community welfare centres were up and running.
- More than 800 pumps were ready to be deployed to remove stormwater in low-lying areas. More than 160 centres were open to assist people.
- To clear trees and branches, 272 woodworking machines and 115 tipper trucks, among others, were kept ready. Each ward had a truck with ten corporation staff on standby for emergencies.
Corporation’s work: Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said stormwater drainage systems were installed in the past 6-8 months and were effective. With a separate wifi network for Corporation personnel, they received information quickly. 5,000 labourers were able to clear about 300-400 tree branches.