A relentless spell of rain battered Avadi and several suburbs of Tiruvallur district, triggering widespread flooding and exposing long-standing civic shortcomings. Lakes overflowed, drains choked, and major roads became impassable as the region struggled under the impact.

The chaos followed an extraordinary 105 cm of rainfall recorded from Monday, with heavy rain continuing into Tuesday, submerging neighbourhoods across Avadi, Ponneri, Redhills, Gummidipoondi and Cholavaram, many of which received nearly 50 cm of rain. Entire stretches were left flooded, forcing residents to navigate ankle-deep to waist-deep water.

State ministers KN Nehru and SM Nasar inspected inundated areas in Jothi Nagar under Avadi Corporation limits. In Kovilpathagai, locals said water entered nearly 5,000 houses by Tuesday morning, adding to the distress of residents.

In Gopalapuram, residents complained that rainwater mixed with sewage had entered Abdul Kalam Street and several interior roads. Motorists struggled along CTH Road as deep potholes remained hidden beneath stagnant water.

Drainage issues intensified the crisis in Pattabiram’s Nehru Street and Gandhi Nagar in Ward 18. A. Roy Rosario, president of the Peoples Voice Federation, noted that only a part of Nehru Street had stormwater drains, leaving no inlet for downhill water flow.