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The <keyword id="69026" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Meteorological-Department" source="Orion">Meteorological Department</keyword> has issued a red alert in <keyword id="12864" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chennai" source="Orion">Chennai</keyword>, <keyword id="6356822" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kancheepuram" source="Orion">Kancheepuram</keyword>, <keyword id="2564178" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tiruvalllur" source="Orion">Tiruvalllur</keyword>, and <keyword id="747320" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chengalpattu" source="Orion">Chengalpattu</keyword> districts on heavy rainfall following a low pressure on Wednesday and Thursday. The weather department predicted that low pressure was reaching the coast and this could lead to heavy rains in Chennai and adjoining districts till Thursday night. Weathermen said that rains could lash isolated areas in Chennai and adjoining districts and 20mm rainfall is expected on Wednesday and Thursday. The Meteorological Department has also reported that there will be squally weather with wind speed reaching 40kmph to 50kmph and could touch 60kmph for the two days. The low-pressure area with associated cyclonic circulation is over the Bay of Bengal and could reach the South Andhra Pradesh and North Tamil Nadu coast by November 18. Following heavy rains, waterlogging, and inundation in parts of Chennai and adjoining districts, several people were staying in relief camps and the Greater Chennai Corporation has been taking steps to relocate them back to their homes. However, around 848 people are still staying in relief camps. Even on Tuesday, 16 streets in nine locations of Chennai were flooded with water and water was being pumped out. According to a senior official with the Greater Chennai Corporation, 426 pumps were used for flushing out water. The Rangarajapuram subway was flooded and closed and traffic was diverted and Greater Chennai Corporation officials were gearing up to prepare themselves for the red alert warning. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/remote-desktop-provider-anydesk-raises-70-million-at-over-600-million-valuation/articleshow/87751394.cms">Remote desktop provider AnyDesk raises $70 million at over $600 million valuation</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hotmail-cofounder-launches-social-video-messaging-platform-showreel/articleshow/87750865.cms">Hotmail co-founder wants to help people find jobs through TikTok-like video resume platform ‘ShowReel’</a>

Red alert in Tamil Nadu's Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvalllur, and Chengalpattu districts on heavy rainfall

As intermittent rains continue to lash Tamil Nadu, flooding capital Chennai, assistance is coming from all quarters to reach out people who need help. 
 
To help people with doctors, Practo has put together a list of verified doctors and hospitals that people can call and go to. 
 
They will be updating this list every hour, based on the crowd sourcing inputs they generate through this initiative. 
 
READ ALSO<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/ChennaiRains-Zomato-launches-Chennai-Food-ReliefMeal-delivery-service-pledges-to-contribute-a-meal-for-each-one-you-buy/articleshow/50009782.cms">: #ChennaiRains: Zomato launches Chennai Food Relief Meal delivery service; pledges to contribute a meal for each one you buy</a> 
 
READ ALSO: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/ChennaiFloods-Paytm-vows-to-recharge-Rs-30-worth-oftalktime-free-of-cost-for-anyone-in-Chennai/articleshow/50010716.cms">#ChennaiFloods: Paytm vows to recharge Rs 30 worth of talktime free of cost for anyone in Chennai</a> 
 
Tamil Nadu is receiving heaviest rainfall in a century, crippling normal life and shutting down Chennai airport. 
 
The havoc is expected to continue as the national weather office predicted three more days of torrential downpours in the southern state of nearly 70 million people. 
 <keyword id="812408" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chennai-Rains">Chennai rains</keyword> also forced automobile sector and IT companies shut their operations.

#ChennaiFloods: Practo comes out with a spreadsheet with details of verified doctors for assistance

Mumbai, <keyword id="19897254" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil" source="keywords">Tamil</keyword> superstar <keyword id="19902056" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay" source="keywords">Vijay</keyword>, who was recently seen in 'Leo', and is awaiting the release of his upcoming film 'The Goat Life', has decided to quit cinema for his political career. He announced his political party, <keyword id="20429636" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamilaga-vettri-kazhagam" source="keywords">Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam</keyword>, on Friday. The actor said that he will quit cinema after completing two films ('GOAT' and an untitled film) to become a full-fledged politician in <keyword id="19896558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="keywords">Tamil Nadu</keyword>. His party members will contest in the 2026 elections. The actor recently met Class 10 and 12 students and also offered aid to people affected by the recent floods in <keyword id="19895758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="chennai" source="keywords">Chennai</keyword>. In a long official statement, the actor said that there is a need for political power to do social work in a full-fledged manner. The actor's official account on X posted: "You all are well aware of the political situation of Tamil Nadu. On one side, we have a dysfunctional administration and corrupt political culture, and on the other, we have divisive politics that aims to divide people along the lines of caste, creed, and religion. Both impede our progress. It is an incontestable truth that people, more so in Tamil Nadu, are longing for a change in a political scenario and want a selfless, honest, secular and talented party to bring about a change." Vijay announced that he will be contesting in the 2026 state legislative assembly elections and will pave the way for the 'desired political transformation sought by the people of Tamil Nadu'. The statement further mentioned: "Upon the approval of the election ordinance, our party's policies, manifestos, strategies, and programs will be unveiled, and our political journey for the people of Tamil Nadu will commence. Our party will proceed with the necessary diligence, ensuring that all activities align with the party's mission and goals, prioritising the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu. Therefore, my prolonged commitment to politics is not merely a profession but a sacred duty to the people. Politics, in my perspective, is not a pastime; it is my profound endeavour." "So, I will complete the project I have accepted now, making sure that it doesn't affect my political service. And I will embark on this journey to serve the people of Tamil Nadu fully, without any distractions. That, I believe, is my debt of gratitude to the people of Tamil Nadu", he added in the statement," he concluded.

Superstar Vijay to quit films for a political career, announces new political party

The city of Chennai is continuing to face the fury of the unprecedented rains which have not only brought life to a standstill, but have also left people stranded without food, electricity or a roof above their head. 
 
Even as social media is being utilized to the brim by people residing in the city to help out those who are suffering and facing the wrath of the rains, it’s heartening to see brands making a conscious effort to to help out the people in need. 
 
It started a few weeks back when taxi aggregator app Ola was in the news for launching<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Now-Ola-ferries-to-the-rescue-of-water-loggedChennai/articleshow/49817058.cms"> Ola Boats</a> to help rescue people who were stuck due to the floods in Chennai. 
 
Then, last night Chennai’s iconic Sathyam Cinemas hogged the limelight for opening its doors to accommodate people who were looking for a roof above their head. 
 
And, now joining the bandwagon is none other than food delivery app<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=zomato"> Zomato</a>. 
 Just a few minutes back, <keyword id="830092" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Zomato">Zomato</keyword>’s CEO <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/This-email-sent-by-Deepinder-Goyal-days-after-Zomato-fired-10-of-its-workforce-is-a-ringing-alarm-bell-for-every-startup/articleshow/49632512.cms">Deepinder Goyal</a> shared a link on Twitter stating that the company has put together a ‘<keyword id="3157869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Meal-for-Flood-Relief">Meal for Flood relief</keyword>’ delivery service for people stranded in the submerged parts in the city. 
 
Its meal plan is supported by seven famous city restaurants including Adyar Ananda Bhavan, Prems Graama Bhojanam, Kolapasi, Dindigul Thalappakati, Nawab Sheikh Biryani, Meat and Eat and Katti Roll. 
 
There are two meal plans in place as of now, both very economical choices. A meal for two is priced at Rs 100 while a meal for four is priced at Rs 200. Both meals will be delivered in half an hour. 
 
The company has tied up with multiple partners for speedy on-ground distribution of the meals, which includes Delhivery, RHA and Chennai volunteers. 
 
That’s not all, Goyal has also stated in his tweet that for every meal that is bought by anyone, Zomato will also contribute a meal from their side and ensure that it’s delivered to those in the flood-affected areas who need it the most. 
 As of two hours ago, the number of meals bought by Zomato's Chennai users have been estimated at Rs 15,000, with Zomato contributing an equal number of meals and making the tally to 30,000 meals. The same has been tweeted by Zomato's CEO <keyword id="476451" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Deepinder-Goyal">Deepinder Goyal</keyword>. 
 
If you wish to join Zomato’s relief efforts to help get food to areas affected by floods in Chennai, click <a href="https://www.zomato.com/chennai/chennai-flood-relief-nungambakkam/order">here</a>.

#ChennaiRains: Zomato launches Chennai Food Relief
Meal delivery service; pledges to contribute a meal for each one you buy

If you reside in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Kolkata, your motor insurance policy is going to increase, thanks to <keyword id="493481" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="chennai-floods">Chennai floods</keyword>. 
 
As Chennai floods saw claims of over Rs 1500 crore, the motor insurance companies are treading the path carefully and have decided to make premium 15% higher. 
 
"We will have to build in the factor of flood for all big cities that are developing fast and premium should go up by 10%-15%. Simple clogging due to rain water can enter basement parking and result in claims,” Vijay Kumar, head of motor insurance Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, told ET. 
 
The Rs 1500-crore claim during Chennai floods was more than that of 2006 Mumbai floods claim. Experts say that higher claims in metros act like a whip, thereby increasing the premium. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Wounded by Chennai floods claims, Motor insurance cos to increase premium to 15% in metropolitans

Just when questions arose about the whereabouts of the corporate giants during <keyword id="493481" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="chennai-floods">Chennai floods</keyword>, Tata Consultancy Services comes forward with a slew of measures. It has set aside Rs 1,100 crore for interest free salary advances and is creating a Rs 50 crore direct grant fund to help employees hurt by the floods in <keyword id="12864" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chennai">Chennai</keyword>. 

	In a post on the company's internal communication portal, CEO N Chandrasekaran said the cash advances would be in the range of Rs 1 lakh to a maximum equivalent of three months gross salary.
 

	"We hope these measures will help TCSers and our support staff get back on their feet quickly and put this traumatic experience behind us," the company said in a statement to ET. 
 <keyword id="6357150" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="TCS">TCS</keyword> will also give an ex-gratia grant of one-month's salary upto Rs 15,000 for TCS support and service staff. The company will also reimburse medical claims. 

	Besides, it will extend its help to the citizens by distributing school and medical kits.

	 
	 
	(Image credits: Indiatimes)

TCS announces measures to aide Chennai Flood hit employees

<keyword id="6357585" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Tata-Consultancy-Services">Tata Consultancy Services</keyword> has set aside Rs 1,100 crore for interest free salary advances and is creating a Rs 50 crore direct grant fund to help employees hurt by the floods in Chennai. 
 
In a post on the company's internal communication portal, CEO N Chandrasekaran said the cash advances would be in the range of Rs 1 lakh to a maximum equivalent of three months gross salary, and a copy of which was accessed by ET. 
 
"We hope these measures will help TCSers and our support staff get back on their feet quickly and put this traumatic experience behind us," the company said in a statement to ET. 
 
TCS will also give an ex-gratia grant of one-month's salary upto Rs 15,000 for TCS support and service staff. The company will also reimburse medical claims. 
 
The company will also conduct free medical camps and continue to offer free bus transportation. 
 
The company will also help citizens by distributing school and medical kits and creating a course of action for the medium term. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Tata Consultancy Services creates Rs 50 crore direct grant fund for employees hurt by Chennai rains

The unprecedented downpour and flooding in Chennai that brought the city to a standstill has also forced the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras to reschedule its<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/placement" target="_blank">placement</a> to early January. 
 
The placement will now start on January 6, 2016, the institute said in a release. It was stalled after the first day on December 1. 
 "Companies have been informed about the interviews being postponed. All companies have been very understanding and have responded positively and assured that they will definitely come and recruit from <keyword id="6356755" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="IIT-Madras">IIT Madras</keyword> despite the disruption," said V Babu, placement advisor at IIT Madras. 
 
The first five days, till January 10, will have two sessions per day (7 am to 2 pm and 4 pm to 11 pm). There will be no interviews on January 11, while January 12-14 will have one session per day (10 am to 5 5 pm), the IIT statement said. 
 
The decision was taken in consultation with student representatives, IIT Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi and dean of students Sivakumar, besides Babu. 
 
On December 1, IIT Madras students received six offers from five companies in the graveyard session (beginning 12 in the midnight). The forenoon session saw 85 offers coming from 18 companies while there were 26 offers from eight companies in the afternoon session. This added up to 117 offers from 31 companies. 
 
Invitations are being sent to the companies informing them of the revised schedule. "The students and the placement team are optimistic that the event will be a success," the release stated. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Chennai rains force IIT Madras to reschedule placements to January 6

Industrial growth contracted for a second month in December while retail <keyword id="22195" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Inflation">inflation</keyword> spurted to a 17-month high in January, capturing the dilemma facing <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword> ahead of the Budget. 
 Any attempt to raise government spending to spur growth could force a delay in further <keyword id="37018" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="interest-rate">interest rate</keyword> cuts by the Reserve Bank of India because of rising prices. 
 
The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) fell 1.3 per cent in December after a revised 3.4 per cent decline in November, according to data released by the statistics office on Friday. The November fall had been previously pegged at 3.2 per cent. The slump was partly because of floods in Chennai, a major manufacturing hub. 
 
The separately released consumer price index (CPI) showed retail inflation at 5.69 per cent in January, the highest since August 2014, making for a toxic mix of macro numbers at the start of the new calendar. 
 "As both high-frequency data show deterioration, deterioration, the macroeconomic management of the economy by the government as well as RBI is going to be more difficult ahead, particularly when the <keyword id="6360189" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Union-Budget">Union Budget</keyword> is due by the end of this month," said Sunil Kumar Sinha, principal economist at India Ratings, a Fitch Ratings associate. 
 The data also highlighted the disconnect between <keyword id="35050" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="gdp">GDP</keyword> numbers and high-speed indicators such as industrial production and car sales. 
 
Car sales fell 0.72 per cent in January, the first decline 15 months. GDP data released on Monday had showed a growth of 7.3 per cent for the December quarter and an outstanding 12.6 per cent growth in manufacturing. But manufacturing contracted 2.4 per cent in December, according to IIP data. 
 
Manufacturing accounts for 75.5 per cent weight in IIP. "The marginal 0.9 per cent volume growth in the manufacturing sector in Q3FY16 stood in sharp contrast to the growth of value addition revealed by the GDP data (12.6 per cent at constant prices and 10.9 per cent at current prices), which benefitted from lower input costs," said Aditi Nayar, senior economist, ICRA. 
 
The spike in inflation is largely because of food inflation which accelerated to 6.85 per cent in January from 6.4 per cent in the previous month, making a rate cut difficult when RBI reviews monetary policy on April 5. Any relaxation of fiscal targets by the government in the Budget would all but rule out a rate cut. Some policymakers favour a relaxation in the fiscal consolidation target of 3.5 per cent for FY15 to create room for more government spending while meeting pay commission obligations. "Presuming a normal monsoon in 2016 and fiscal consolidation along the previously announced trajectory, ICRA expects CPI inflation to average 5.5 per cent in FY17, allowing for a final 25-basis-points cut in the repo rate during 2016," said Nayar. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Budget 2016: High inflation and slow industrial growth present obstacles to FM Arun Jaitley

The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=chennai+rains">Chennai rains</a> have left <keyword id="6379816" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Telecom-operators">telecom operators</keyword> suffering with most of them incurring losses to the tune of Rs 300 crore. It has compelled Finnish network gear maker Nokia to stop production of 3G and 4G gear at its nearby factory. 
 
China's biggest telecoms gearmaker <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Huawei+">Huawei</a> also said the "flood situation had affected its Chennai factory", which purely caters to export markets such as China, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. 
 
"Out of the Rs 300 crore losses estimated by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), Rs 100 crore is on account of network restoration and Rs 200 crore on account of revenue losses over the past seven days," Rajan Mathews, director general of the GSM industry lobby body, said. 
 
Chennai continues to reel under the worst rains in over a century with the death toll from flooding in the southern Indian city reportedly mounting to nearly 270. This has prompted the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to intensify relief and rescue operations in the flood-battered city and adjoining areas. So far, it has reportedly rescued over 10,000 people. 
 
Global network vendors such as Nokia and Huawei, who have a large manufacturing presence near Chennai, have been hit hard by the floods. 
 
Nokia said it had been compelled "to temporarily stop production at its factory" in Chennai's outskirts over the past couple of days to "prioritise safety of its employees and equipment". Some 1300 people work in Nokia's Chennai factory. 
 
Nokia's Chennai works, which is amongst its key factories globally, meets the 3G and 4G network gear requirements of the India and as many as 26 export markets across continents. 
 
A senior industry executive aware of the devastation said Nokia is closely working with its global factories in China and Finland to balance production volumes and bridge the Chennai production shortfall for meeting global customer requirements. Since Nokia follows a global supply chain, processes are in place to ensure customers can be served from its other global factories, he said. 
 
"Nokia India is also changing inbound and outbound shipping points to Bangalore instead of Chennai," and taking steps to "organise alternate shipments of raw material to ensure minimal disruption to production in times of crisis like this," said a company spokesman in a written response to ET's queries. 
 
Huawei, in turn, said the company had "established emergency support teams to ensure staff safety, equipment safety, network and services safety, as well as to communicate with customers in response to the heavy flooding in Chennai". 
 
Huawei has an existing SEZ in Chennai where it manufactures optical network transmission systems purely for export markets like China, APAC and the Middle East. 
 
China's leading telecom gear maker did not confirm if production at its Chennai unit had come to a standstill, but said "the factory has been affected by the flood situation", in response to ET's queries. 
 
The deadly floods have severely damaged telecoms infrastructure and impacted networks across all operators in a huge way. So much so, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Bharti+Airtel">Bharti Airtel</a>, <keyword id="6354924" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Idea-Cellular">Idea Cellular</keyword> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Vodafone">Vodafone</a> India have been struggling to keep their services going amid the incessant downpour and floods in the vicinity. 
 
Unavailability of grid power, water-logging resulting in submerged sites and unavailability of diesel in the absence of transportation have been listed as major roadblocks in network operations in affected areas. All telcos are also facing problems in certain areas while restoring operations because of inaccessibility to the affected sites. 
 
(Image credit: Economic Times)

Telecom companies suffer Rs 300 crore loss due to Chennai floods

Social media, which became galvanized during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, is a bullhorn of support in aiding humanitarian work every time a country has been struck by national catastrophe, a terrorist attack or refugee crisis ever since. 
 
Recently, UN sent 44 aid trucks to the beseiged Syrian town of Madaya, where children and adults are dying of starvation. Even as international agencies, NGOs and governments play their part, 2015’s unfortunate events saw common people using social media not only display support, but become active participants by sharing information and extending aid. This new platform of sensitive humans across the world emerged as the new forum for collective intelligence, social convergence, and community activism in the hour of need. Here’s how: 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=syrian+refugees">Syrian refugee crisis</a> 
 
Even as the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-un-security-council-discusses-starving-besieged-areas-of-syria-2016-1?IR=T">UN, Germany, and Europe</a> as a whole, have been hailed as the saviours of refugees, another less talked about silent saviour has been the social media. There are various Facebook pages that provide crucial information to refugees, which include instructions on what they should carry during their journey and which officials they should contact. There are numerous groups on Facebook such as the ‘Syrian Refugee Helpers in Istanbul’, which allow volunteers and activists to gather on a single platform and organise their efforts effectively in order to cater to the needs of refugees. Besides, CNN noted that there is a section of <keyword id="973200" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Syrian-refugees">Syrian refugees</keyword> which has made use of social media to make the migratory journey somewhat more organised. Syrian youth is making use of the internet, Facebook in particular, to issue distress calls while they’re at sea. They have the phone numbers of the Greek and Turkish police and once they arrive at their desired destination, they know exactly where to go and what to do. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/An-online-insurance-portal-set-up-a-toll-free-helpline-to-help-Chennai-flood-victims-with-their-claims/articleshow/50109916.cms">Chennai floods</a> 
 
Floods in Chennai spelt doom for the people of the city, but social media was a force in Chennai which emerged more powerful than the rains pounding the city. While bridges collapsed, floodgates opened and people were confined to their homes, citizens came together on social media – Twitter and Facebook – to coordinate efforts to send or seek help with accommodation, food and rescue relief. From sharing Chennairains.org, a <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword> spreadsheet listing helpline numbers, aid offers and requests, rescue requests, volunteer details and accommodation details to provide necessary information to volunteers to a crowdsourced effort to map inundated roads in Chennai, along with information on vulnerable and water logged points and flood relief camps, many such initiatives by the people (updates by independent weather blogging community, portals sharing info on stranded residents, rescue operations, resource requirements) put together made social media act as the savior for victims in their hour of need as more and more Indians reached out to help, and the donations were directed in the right places. 
 
<keyword id="779649" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="nepal-earthquake">Nepal earthquake</keyword> 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Major-magnitude-7-4-earthquake-rattles-Nepal-again-Tremors-felt-across-North-India/articleshow/47245551.cms">As the catastrophe hit the state</a>, several projects started by Nepal’s youth were a kind of rolling coverage with added information — useful data that people from around Nepal and the world could use to direct their help quickly and effectively, during a period that was otherwise characterised by chaos. The hashtag #nepalphotoproject and its matching <keyword id="819905" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Instagram">Instagram</keyword> account gained widespread exposure. Started by a local photojournalist, it brought together images of quake damage that were seen by tens of thousands of followers around the world. The crowd-sourced pictures also gave people an insight into the degree of damage suffered in hard-to-reach regions. The posts often included links to reliable aid organisations or local volunteer groups. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/As-Paris-mourns-these-handwritten-notes-staring-out-of-the-windows-of-La-Belle-Equipe-cafe-is-a-totally-heartbreaking-sight/articleshow/49814913.cms">Paris Attacks </a> 
 
Amid the chaos of gunfire and explosions in Paris that left dozens dead, people used social media to share their sympathy, give advice, and open doors to their homes to others stranded in the French capital. The #PorteOuverte or the ‘open-door’ initiative connected people who were looking for shelter. It popped up on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and opened doors for those looking for support. 
 
(Image credits: Reuters)

How social media was used intelligently to extend humanitarian aid in 2015

&#xa0;<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>The 2015-16 El Niño has <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/">likely reached its end</a>. Tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures, trade winds, cloud and pressure patterns have all dropped back to near normal, although clearly the event's impacts around the globe are still being felt.Recent changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures have been comparable to the decline seen at the end of the 1998 El Niño, although temperatures remain warmer than at the end of the most recent El Niño in 2010. Models suggest that ocean cooling will continue, with little chance of a return to El Niño levels in the immediate future.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>The 2015-16 El Niño will go down as one of the three strongest El Niño events since 1950. Every El Niño is different, but typically the stronger the event, the greater its global impact. The 2015-16 El Niño was no exception, with wide-ranging effects felt around the world.El Niño also added to the globe's warming trend, making <a href="https://theconversation.com/2016-is-likely-to-be-the-worlds-hottest-year-heres-why-59378">2015 the world's hottest calendar year on record</a>. Early indications are that 2016 could be hotter still.So as El Niño fades, let's take stock of its impacts worldwide.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><h2>Africa</h2>Drought meant that <a href="https://www.iol.co.za/business/news/farmers-owe-banks-r125bn-as-crops-wither-1971244">South African food production</a> was around six million tonnes below normal levels - the lowest since 1995.In Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique, maize prices were at least 50% higher than usual, with drought unlikely to break until rains in summer 2016-17. In the <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/event-tracker/not-so-rainy-season-drought-southern-africa-january-2016">driest areas of Zimbabwe</a>, more than 75% of crops were lost. In May 2016, Zimbabwean national parks put wildlife up for sale in a bid to save animals from drought.The <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/the-times/chocolate-prices-to-rise-as-el-nino-brings-big-dry-to-west-africa/news-story/7b68da82787af93e2557435638699c47">cost of chocolate</a> hit a four-year high as a result of drought and lost production in the world's major cocoa producer, Ivory Coast.Drought also affected Ethiopia, Somalia, Swaziland, Zambia and parts of Madagascar, with more than 10 million Ethiopians in need of food aid.In December 2015, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/a-i5282e.pdf">Rift Valley fever</a> was reported in East Africa. The disease is associated with heavy rainfall providing a fertile breeding ground for the mosquitoes that carry the virus.In Tanzania, <a href="http://www.dw.com/en/el-nino-induced-floods-ravage-east-africa/a-19245333">heavy rain destroyed crops and food reserves</a>, while in Kenya <a href="http://www.unocha.org/el-nino-southern-africa">heavy rains aggravated cholera outbreaks</a>. In May 2016, landslides in Rwanda cost many lives and heavy rains damaged infrastructure and hundreds of homes.<h2>The Pacific region</h2>El Niño is often, but not always, associated with <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-the-indian-ocean-and-el-nino-join-forces-things-can-get-hot-and-dry-48969">drought in Australia</a>. But the drying influence of the 2015-16 El Niño was initially tempered somewhat by very warm temperatures in the Indian Ocean. From April to August, above-average rainfall fell over parts of inland Western Australia, New South Wales and eastern Victoria.But by spring, the Indian Ocean was helping El Niño, resulting in Australia's third-driest spring on record, limiting growth at the end of the cropping season. A record early heatwave in October further <a href="http://www.farmonline.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/grains/el-nio-hammers-wheat-crop/2745601.aspx">reduced crop production in the Murray-Darling Basin</a>.However, the lack of heavy rains in the north and west meant <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mining-australia-elnino-idUSKCN0S601W20151012">reduced downtime for mining</a>.The northern wet season produced a record-low three tropical cyclones in the Australian region. The previous record was five, which happened in 1987-88 and again in 2006-07 - both El Niño years.Fewer clouds and less tropical rain contributed to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/coral-bleaching">most severe coral bleaching</a> event on record for the Great Barrier Reef.The combination of heat and low rainfall brought a very early start to the fire season, with more than 70 fires burning in Victoria and around 55 fires in Tasmania during October. Dry conditions in Tasmania also resulted in hundreds of fires being started by dry lightning in mid-January 2016. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/fires-in-tasmanias-ancient-forests-are-a-warning-for-all-of-us-53806">fires damaged large areas of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area</a>, including areas of rainforest and bogs, which may not have seen fire for centuries.In Papua New Guinea, <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-papua-new-guinea-faces-worsening-drought-a-past-disaster-could-save-lives-46390">drought and frost led to crop failures and food shortages</a>. Staple sweet potato crops in the highlands were severely damaged by August frosts - the result of El Niño reducing night-time cloud cover - which also destroyed wild plants that are usually eaten as a backup source of food.Vanuatu, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Samoa and Tonga experienced <a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/12/14/el-nino-warning-bells-ringing-oxfam">worsening drought</a>. Islands closer to the Equator such as Kiribati and Tuvalu had intense rain causing flooding, as well as higher sea levels due to warmer waters and weaker trade winds.<h2>Asia</h2>In the Philippines, drought was declared in 85% of provinces. Indonesia experienced its worst drought in 18 years. <a href="https://theconversation.com/indonesia-fires-threaten-to-send-even-modest-climate-ambitions-up-in-smoke-49155">Forest fires caused poor air quality</a> over vast neighbouring areas including Singapore, Malaysia, southern Thailand and the southern Philippines.In the Mekong Basin, delayed monsoon rains reduced rice production, with significant reductions in Vietnam. In Thailand, severe water shortages led to water rationing and delayed rice planting. The Thai government <a href="http://time.com/3960462/thailand-drought/">lowered its forecast for rice exports</a> by two million tonnes. This led to some African countries increasing their imports, fearing a price rise.<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-28/malaysian-palm-oil-production-to-worsen-on-el-nino-mistry-says">Palm oil prices rose</a> as supplies became limited due to drought in Malaysia and Indonesia. In April 2016, a heatwave set national temperature records for Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.Northern parts of China experienced drought in 2015. Heavy rainfall in southern China persisted through the second half of 2015, with flooding and landslides recorded along the Yangtze River Valley. China's December-to-February rainfall was approximately 50% above normal. In May 2016, heavy rain caused <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1949392/torrential-rains-claim-eight-lives-southern-chinas-guangdong">flooding and landslides in China's Guangdong province</a>.In India, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-03/india-is-suffering-one-of-its-worst-droughts-in-decades">below-average monsoon rains</a> in June to September led to reduced rice, corn, cotton and sugar output in 2015. Below-average rainfall between October and December also affected India's wheat harvest. Major water shortages emerged in some areas, including Mumbai - the result of two years of failed rains.Indian Premier League cricket matches were relocated from Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur due to water restrictions. Record heat affected the north and west of the country in May, setting a <a href="http://reliefweb.int/report/india/india-sets-new-heat-record-temperatures-soar">new national record of 51?</a> in Phalodi.Conversely, some <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/12/10/before-and-after-satellite-imagery-of-the-historic-flooding-in-chennai-india/">southern parts of India had exceptionally wet conditions</a>, with record-breaking rains and widespread flooding in Chennai in November and December. The city received over 300mm of rainfall on December 1, 2015; the wettest day in more than a century.<h2>South and Central America</h2>Peru experienced widespread flooding and mudslides in early 2016, with heavy rain leaving more than 5,000 people homeless. In Ecuador, flooding and landslides damaged properties and affected shrimp production.More than 150,000 people were evacuated from <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35184793">flooded areas in Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina</a> in December 2015. Some experts have linked El Niño flooding to outbreaks of <a href="http://who.int/hac/crises/el-nino/22february2016/en/">mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika virus</a>.In January 2016, Argentina experienced its worst locust plague since 1954, following heavy rains and warm temperatures. Heavy rains returned to Argentina and Paraguay in April 2016, causing large agricultural losses.In contrast, <a href="http://latincorrespondent.com/2016/02/el-nino-wreaks-havoc-in-colombia/">Colombia experienced drought and forest fires</a>, which caused severe damage to crops and pushed up food prices, leading to malnutrition in some areas. In November 2015, the United Nations warned that 2.3 million people would need food aid in Central America.The Caribbean also experienced drought; Cuba had its most severe dry season in 115 years; Barbados, Dominica, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Barbuda and Saint Lucia experienced water shortages, with the latter declaring a national emergency. The Dominican Republic experienced serious agricultural losses.Brazil had a particularly high number of forest fires during 2015, exacerbated by ongoing drought conditions in the Amazon region. Drought in Brazil and Colombia (and Indonesia) meant <a href="https://weather.com/science/environment/news/el-nino-weather-damages-coffee-crops">coffee prices soared</a> as dry conditions affected all the major coffee-producing countries.In contrast, excess rain in northeast Brazil flooded crops, leading to rises in the sugar price worldwide.<h2>North America</h2>In California, many hoped that El Niño would bring relief from five years of drought. But despite some regions getting heavy rain more typical of El Niño, leading to mudslides, El Niño failed to end the long-term dry.In the southeast and south-central United States, rainfall was above normal. Major flooding occurred along the Mississippi River. Missouri received three times its normal rainfall during November and December 2015.<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-17/crabs-carpet-california-beaches/7420956">Warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures</a> offshore meant warm water species such as sea snakes, red tuna crabs and hammerhead sharks were found on Californian beaches.For information on the current and forecast state of ENSO, keep an eye on <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/">the Bureau's ENSO Wrap-Up</a>.<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"></div></div></div></div><a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/alison-cook-269168">Alison Cook</a>, Climatologist, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-bureau-of-meteorology">Australian Bureau of Meteorology</a>; <a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-b-watkins-2818">Andrew B. Watkins</a>, Manager of Climate Prediction Services, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-bureau-of-meteorology">Australian Bureau of Meteorology</a>; <a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/blair-trewin-3692">Blair Trewin</a>, Climatologist, National Climate Centre, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-bureau-of-meteorology">Australian Bureau of Meteorology</a>, and <a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/catherine-ganter-259928">Catherine Ganter</a>, Senior Climatologist, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-bureau-of-meteorology">Australian Bureau of Meteorology</a>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/el-nino-is-over-but-has-left-its-mark-across-the-world-59993">original article</a>.<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"></div></div></div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/weather-system-in-a-box-2016-3">This is a weather system in a box</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="E0dTNpMTE6pr_yrk_cImaAg0baJy6XE7" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

You Searched For "Floods in Chennai" and got 12 results

Red alert in Tamil Nadu's Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvalllur, and Chengalpattu districts on heavy rainfall

IANS

#ChennaiFloods: Practo comes out with a spreadsheet with details of verified doctors for assistance

BI India Bureau

Superstar Vijay to quit films for a political career, announces new political party

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#ChennaiRains: Zomato launches Chennai Food Relief Meal delivery service; pledges to contribute a meal for each one you buy

Poulomi Das

Wounded by Chennai floods claims, Motor insurance cos to increase premium to 15% in metropolitans

BI India Bureau

TCS announces measures to aide Chennai Flood hit employees

BI India Bureau

Tata Consultancy Services creates Rs 50 crore direct grant fund for employees hurt by Chennai rains

BI India Bureau

Chennai rains force IIT Madras to reschedule placements to January 6

BI India Bureau

Budget 2016: High inflation and slow industrial growth present obstacles to FM Arun Jaitley

BI India Bureau

Telecom companies suffer Rs 300 crore loss due to Chennai floods

BI India Bureau

How social media was used intelligently to extend humanitarian aid in 2015

Anushree Singh

El Nino is over - but its impacts are still being felt across the globe

Alison Cook and Andrew B. Wat…

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