Passengers at Chennai’s main railway station faced yet another challenge as heavy rain caused water to leak from the roof. Despite the already disrupted airport operations, the Chennai Central railway station was not spared from the effects of the downpour.
A video from the railway station showed water splashing on the floor in the passenger waiting area near the platform, forcing commuters to stand away to avoid getting soaked. Another video revealed water seeping down the walls of the station.
As a result of the heavy rain, several trains have been either partially or fully cancelled, while the airport runway remains closed until 11 pm for departures and arrivals. The Southern Railway has assured passengers affected by the cancellations that they will receive full refunds.
The torrential rain is a result of Cyclone Michaung hitting Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, leading to a public holiday being declared in Chennai and three other districts. Large parts of Chennai are submerged in water, particularly low-lying areas, with Meenambakkam recording 196 mm of rainfall and Nungambakkam 154.3 mm in the 24 hours leading up to 5:30 am this morning.
Heavy rain has also been reported in Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Nagapattinam, and Cuddalore districts.
