Anna Nagar, haunted by flood, keeps sandbags, pumps ready

MONSOON woes drown even posh areas of the city like Anna Nagar every year, which residents attribute to poor urban planning and old and inadequate drainage system.

- PRAVEENA S A

Sandbags, raised ramps and pumps to drain out water are kept on stand-by at houses on streets like 5th Main Road.

Residents of W Block rued that a two-hour shower is enough to inundate houses, causing damage to vehicles, electronic goods and prized possessions. On October 30, a brief downpour saw water streaming through entrance gates.

Despite living near two waterbodies —the Otteri nullah on the north and the Cooum on the south—residents said poor urban planning has left rainwater with no outlet, forcing it into houses. With rapid urban development, the nullah is no longer able to handle the overflow, they claimed.