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The <keyword id="6355166" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india-meteorological-department" source="Orion">India Meteorological Department</keyword> (<keyword id="6366970" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="imd" source="Orion">IMD</keyword>) has predicted heavy rain in <keyword id="12864" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="chennai" source="Orion">Chennai</keyword> and the adjoining districts on Monday. On Sunday night, heavy downpour inundated several parts of the state capital, including the <keyword id="6356821" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nungambakkam" source="Orion">Nungambakkam</keyword> and <keyword id="130886" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="meenambakkam" source="Orion">Meenambakkam</keyword> localities. An upper air circulation caused the steady spell of rain which started only as a drizzle on Sunday evening that later turned into heavy showers. Weather models also showed winds changing to westerlies, which led to thunderstorms across the city and suburbs. The heavy rain on Sunday, according to the IMD, is an indication of more thunderstorms in the coming days in Chennai and suburbs other than the possibility of the downpour on Monday. The rain have brought a reprieve from the scorching heat in Chennai. ALSO SEE: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/monsoon-to-advance-in-various-parts-of-india-this-week-delhi-to-see-thunderstorms/articleshow/92269558.cms">Monsoon to advance in various parts of India this week; Delhi to see thunderstorms</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/cherrapunji-in-meghalaya-sets-another-record-with-811-mm-on-rainfall-in-a-day/articleshow/92280285.cms">Cherrapunji in Meghalaya sets another record with 811 mm on rainfall in a day</a>

IMD predicts heavy rain in Chennai, adjoining districts

Tamil Nadu, Puducherry brace for Cyclone Nivar — Heavy rains lash Chennai ahead of landfall

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

It is raining cats and dogs in Chennai and its suburbs. The torrential rains, which are the worst in 100 years, not only crippled normal life but also put IT giants like TCS, Infosys, Cognizant, and the automobile sector in a tight spot. 
 
As rescue operations are on war-footing, IT companies have issues respective codes and guidelines for its employees to ensure seamless work so that clients do not suffer. 
 
For instance, Cognizant sent some of its employees to a different office and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) held some key resources at its offices only. 
 
Cognizant also held on to few critical employees even though its facilities were operational. 
 
"For employees who have chosen to stay back at our facilities to provide uninterrupted 24x7 support to critical client projects, we have made the necessary accommodation and food arrangements. We have implemented our business continuity plan and are closely monitoring the situation," a Cognizant spokesperson told ET. 
 
HCL Technologies, too, invoked a plan and offered employees a 'flexible work schedule'. 
 
Meanwhile, TCS also made transportation arrangements for its employees. 
 
"We would advise all associates, particularly those who have come by two-wheelers, to avail themselves of TCS transportation of car-pool with your colleagues wherever possible. Any decision on Wednesday's working will be communicated to you later in the day," stated a communique to TCS employees. 
 
Infosys runs a large office close to the Veerapuram lake, which swelled and flooded the IT SEZ, and had to close its office early. 
 
The company released a statement saying, “As a precautionary measure for the safety of our employees due to flooding at the Infosys campuses in Chennai, we have closed our offices early on Tuesday. The Mahindra City campus has seen some flooding due to neighbouring lakes overflowing due to the incessant rain." 
 One of the worst hit sectors was automobile as <keyword id="3157783" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="heavy-rains-in-Chennai">heavy rains in Chennai</keyword> delayed production and delivery of vehicles. 
 
Renault Nissan produced fewer cars by about 300 numbers. BMW India, too, had to shut down. 
 
ARMY DEPLOYED FOR HELP 
 
Army and NDRF personnel have been deployed in Chennai after the Tamil Nadu government sought military assistance. The Navy is also on stand-by. 
 
All flight operations at Chennai airport were suspended and 11 foreign and nine domestic flights from the airport were put on hold as no landing or take-off was allowed till late Tuesday evening. 
 
The rains have virtually broken a 100-year-old record with one day's rainfall covering a month's average. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Chennai rains: Heavy downpour batters southern city, IT and automobile cos worst hit

It's raining cats and dogs in Chennai. Three days on, schools remain shut, train and air services halted, telephone connectivity majorly hit as one of the worst rain havocs has left Chennai submerged bringing it to a complete standstill. IAF, Air Force, NDRF, Coast Guard are all on the ground here braving the most horrifying torrential <keyword id="13672" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rains">rains</keyword> the city has seen in the last 10 years, to steer people out of danger, yet thousands of residents lay trapped in their homes without essentials like food and water to survive. 
 
Chennai Corporation which had claimed to be ready to face such a situation after MeT’s pre warning in Sept, tried to clear water in over 300 localities all across the city, but it hardly helped. Following an increase in water levels, the civic body rescued 1,900 people on Sunday, housing them in shelters in safer locations. Food packets for residents were supplied through 81 Amma Canteens, seven community kitchens and five community halls, however, all of them have been hit hard by floods forcing them to stop the supply. 
 
With life coming to a grinding halt, the death toll rising, people carrying their essentials and walking in neck-deep water all on their own in remote areas to reach safer locations, and the agencies finding it difficult to contain the damage from floods, this is the worst Chennai has seen in a long time. It recorded 246.5 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours which breaks the record of November 2005 of 142.4 mm. 
 The heavy downpour is giving the disaster relief teams a very tough time in carrying out <keyword id="6388465" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rescue-operations">rescue operations</keyword>. Only “22 people, including 12 infants, were airlifted by the IAF from affected areas yesterday because due to constant rains, only six sorties were carried out," an IAF statement said. This is not to say that ample efforts are not being made. Air Force choppers are being used to air-drop food and drinking water in worst-hit areas. The army is using boats to rescue stranded people in many flooded areas. Even <keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword> is using boats to ferry people from submerged areas to safe locations. National Disaster Response Force teams are extending help to state officials in evacuations. People are also being evacuated from Kotturpuram in central Chennai as release of water from the Sembarambakkam reservoir is expected to cause more flooding in the area. But despite a pre alarm and on ground operations, 71 people have already died and several remain trapped. 
 
Notably, unlike the north-east monsoons in the previous years, what makes this year’s rains different is that it was neither a depression nor a cyclone, but a low pressure that played havoc with people’s lives. This low pressure system formed near Sri Lanka right over the Bay of Bengal crossed near the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast resulting in heavy rain and consequent flood in many parts of the state. Cuddalore and Tambaram districts are the worst hit, where many streets are completely submerged and nearly 2000 residents are trapped in their homes. 
 
Meanwhile, even as the heavy downpour has eased a bit and is now showing signs of receding, the horror is not over yet. The MeT has warned of heavy to very rainfall in Tiruvallur districts even as moderate rains are expected to continue for another three days in other areas. It means the death toll is likely to rise further as the killer rains now head towards Andhra Pradesh. 
 
(Image credit: Indiatimes)

As IAF choppers airlift stranded people, here’s why Chennai will never forget its worst rain havoc in the last 10 years

The India Meteorological Department (<keyword id="6366970" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="imd" source="Orion">IMD</keyword>) has predicted heavy rain in the interior areas of <keyword id="20154" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="Orion">Tamil Nadu</keyword> while light to moderate showers are expected in the state capital <keyword id="12864" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="chennai" source="Orion">Chennai</keyword> till August 5. A senior officer with the IMD told IANS: "There will be a light to moderate rain till August 5 in most parts of Tamil Nadu and Southwest monsoon has intensified and that there is an upper circulation in the atmosphere over coastal Tamil Nadu. There was a shear zone where the easterlies and the westerlies meet over the central region and this zone is likely to move towards the north direction in the next few days." The officer said that this would lead to heavy rain in Theni, Dindigul, <keyword id="6361828" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="coimbatore" source="Orion">Coimbatore</keyword>, and <keyword id="6366170" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tirupur" source="Orion">Tirupur</keyword> districts and very heavy rain in Coimbatore and The Nilgiris. In the next couple of days, light to moderate rains is likely over some places in Chennai and adjacent areas. It is to be noted that since June 1, Tamil Nadu and <keyword id="6354306" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="puducherry" source="Orion">Puducherry</keyword> have received an excess of 94 per cent rain. Meanwhile, Chennai witnessed heavy rains on Wednesday morning bringing traffic blocks on all the main roads. With the IMD predicting heavy to very heavy rains, the water resources department has taken initiative to look after the water flow into the major dams of the state. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/u-gro-aims-to-disburse-small-biz-loans-worth-2000-crore-this-fiscal-year/articleshow/93323188.cms">U GRO aims to disburse small biz loans worth ₹2,000 crore this fiscal year</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/solana-hack-8000-crypto-wallets-compromised-millions-wiped-out/articleshow/93322375.cms">Solana Hack: 8000 crypto wallets compromised, millions wiped out</a>

Heavy rain likely in Theni, Dindigul, Coimbatore, and Tirupur districts of Tamil Nadu till Aug 5: IMD

Heavy rains in <keyword id="12864" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="chennai" source="Orion">Chennai</keyword> led to three human deaths due to electrocution and four subways were shut down on Thursday. Nearly 100 streets in Chennai city were waterlogged and the officials and employees of the Greater Chennai Corporation are at work to clear the waterlogging in the city. K.K.S.S.R <keyword id="90527" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ramachandran" source="Orion">Ramachandran</keyword>, <keyword id="20154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="Orion">Tamil Nadu</keyword> Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, told the media that 106 streets in the city are waterlogged and once the rain stops, the waterlogging would be cleared. The Minister said the tanks and reservoirs around Chennai are being monitored for inflow and if necessary they would be opened for safety. Ramachandran added that rains received were high in Nandanam, Vadapalani and M.R.C. Nagar in Chennai city. The Indian Meterological Department (IMD) said Nungambakkam received 12 cm of rain and Nandanam 8 cm of rainfall during the day on December 30. S. Balachandran, Deputy Director-General, IMD, while speaking to media said, "The interaction of easterly winds at lower levels and westerly winds at upper level has brought rain to the city. The rains in the city will continue till January 3." IANS had reported earlier that there would be rains and winds in several coastal areas of Tamil Nadu. N. Puviarasan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, while speaking to media said, "The unexpected fast movement of the easterly trough over Chennai coast has led to intense rainfall in the city on Thursday. Prediction of such heavy rains is impossible." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/cms-info-systems-pb-fintech-power-grid-and-other-hot-stocks-on-december-31/slidelist/88604241.cms">CMS Info Systems, PB Fintech, Power Grid and other hot stocks on the last trading day of the year</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/social-media-in-2022-expectations-predictions-and-everything-new-that-may-arrive-on-the-platforms/slidelist/88595320.cms">Social media in 2022 — Expectations, predictions and everything new that may arrive on the platforms</a>

Three dead and nearly 100 streets waterlogged in Chennai due to heavy rains

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

Soaring temperatures and ill-timed closure of canals for maintenance left kinnow <keyword id="45092" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="farmers" source="Orion">farmers</keyword> in Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar district, with no choice but to switch to sowing moong, cluster bean and <keyword id="6359181" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="cotton" source="Orion">cotton</keyword> crops. "What could we do? Harvests were negligible in the last couple of years. Both blooms and fruit dropped for the third consecutive year. Due to scarcity of water, I could not sow anything this year. Now onwards, I intend to focus on cotton and wheat. Since this year, the season for cotton and wheat has already gone by, I sowed the less water-intensive crops (moong and cluster beans)," farmer Ranveer Jhatwal from Chak 25ML told 101Reporters. Jhatwal had been growing kinnow on 24 bighas of land for 15 years. But last year, he uprooted his orchards from 12 bighas, taking out the remaining this year. But Jhatwal is not the only farmer to take such an extreme step. Several small and big farmers in Rajasthan have been doing so. Heat and lack of irrigation ruined 80% to 92% of the orchards this year, forcing nearly every farmer to uproot his orchard, as compared to just a few who did so last year. Statistics furnished by the Horticulture Department reveal that out of 11,540ha under kinnow, 115ha of orchards were uprooted until May 17, and by June 3, the figure stood at 289ha. Farmers continue to uproot their kinnow orchards in every tehsil of the district. The kinnow disillusionment Orchards made their first appearance in Sriganganagar within two to three years of the Gang Canal coming up in 1927. However, it was in the past two decades that horticulturists saw fruit orchards literally bloom in the district. Even as sweet lime, guava, pomegranate, dates, amla and lemons thrived, kinnow was their most profitable fruit. While incentives extended by the National Horticulture Mission were a big draw, pest infestations on their cotton crop resulting in huge losses finally saw farmers opt for kinnow cultivation. Sriganganagar district alone produces 80,000 metric tonnes of kinnow annually, a large part of which was exported to China, Russia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Australia and Bhutan. Joint Director of Agriculture (retd) VS Nain, who served earlier in Sriganganagar, said: "Wheat, mustard and cotton were the crops traditionally grown in this district. But when expenses on pesticides rose sharply following caterpillar attacks around two decades ago, harried farmers were compelled to spray nearly 30 to 40 rounds of pesticides to save a single crop of cotton. This was when they switched to kinnow. And it didn't disappoint them either; they earned ample profits on every crop. Unfortunately, the last three years brought them repeated losses and forced them to uproot their orchards." Narrating his woes, farmer Mahendra Kumar of Chak 25ML recalled how his 50-bigha orchard once fetched him Rs 35 lakh to Rs 40 lakh annually, but he couldn't break even in the last three years. "In 2020, there was very little produce, and in 2021, I earned a meagre Rs 5 lakh after spending Rs 7 lakh on inputs. This year, the intense heat and lack of irrigation caused the blooms and fruit to drop. Two years ago, I uprooted 10 bighas; last year, I uprooted another 12 bighas; this year, I uprooted another 5 bighas of orchard land," Kumar said, adding that he now intends to grow cotton since crop from a single bigha can earn him up to Rs 1 lakh. Usually, one has to wait four years for a kinnow crop after planting an orchard and hold on for seven years before one can harvest the best fruit. But presently, even farmers who planted saplings only two years ago are uprooting their orchards, anticipating losses in future. Farmer Bhupendra Singh of Chak 11ML had laid his orchard on 9 bighas of land at a total cost of Rs 6 lakh to Rs 7 lakh. He has uprooted his entire orchard. With a heavy heart, Singh said, "What is the point in keeping this orchard, when I cannot profit from it? My neighbour, farmer Jagseer Singh, also uprooted his two-year-old orchard." Excessive heat and lack of irrigation water also led farmer Ashok Chaudhary of village 24GB to uproot his orchard. "There were no blooms for the past two years. Excessive heat wilted my plants," Chaudhary told 101Reporters. "Last year, I uprooted 15 bighas of my orchard and planted mustard on this land, which yielded 5 to 6 quintals per bigha of produce. Recently, I uprooted another 10 bighas. Cotton has also proved more profitable than kinnow for me." Explaining why uprooting their orchards is their best option, farmer Jhatwal said, "One has to spend Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per bigha every year on the kinnow crop. It's a burden when the produce falls short consecutive years." Mercury spike, water scarcity, among others, are the biggest threats. Assistant Director of the Horticulture Department Priti <keyword id="17684" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bala" source="Orion">Bala</keyword> pointed out the temperatures in March were unprecedentedly high in the last two years. "Temperatures between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees in March-end are ideal for flowering. But this year, temperatures touched 40 degrees, she explained. "High temperatures can cause flowers and fruit to drop. This was also the time when canals were shut for repairs, preventing farmers from accessing much-needed irrigation water." Analysing the situation, VS Nain noted that the Water Resources Department must keep the needs of farmers in mind as and when they shut off irrigation canals for necessary repairs. Currently, they are turned out in April-May, which is when orchards need irrigation water. The rising prices of cotton in the mandis also drew farmers to cotton cultivation, Bala added. Though the department has advised farmers to remain patient "since cotton prices can also be unstable". Furthermore, the failure of the kinnow crop has not been confined to Sriganganagar alone, Agriculture Officer (Horticulture) Rajendra Nain in Horticulture Department Sriganganagar told 101Reporters. High temperatures wreaked havoc on the fruit trees in the northern states of Punjab and Haryana; compelling farmers in Abohar and Fazilka districts of Punjab and Sirsa in Haryana to uproot their orchards. Seeking compensation for the threat to their livelihood When orchards are uprooted, there's a threat to many kinnow-related industries, as well. There are around 36 kinnow packing and grading establishments in the district, each set up with an investment of Rs 35 lakh to Rs 1 crore. These grade the kinnow, apply preservatives on the fruit and pack them for export. Babu Khan Rizvi, the owner of one such wax and grading plant, told 101Reporters, "The destruction of the orchards spells disaster for us. If the orchards are uprooted, what will happen to us? Each plant employs around 100 to 150 labourers. Us factory owners and workers will have to pay the price." In light of these developments, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) <keyword id="96979" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="youth-wing" source="Orion">Youth Wing</keyword> has submitted a memorandum to the district administration. BKU (Youth Wing) District Secretary Shivprakash <keyword id="2394445" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="saharan" source="Orion">Saharan</keyword> emphasised, "The government ought to conduct a survey, and fix an amount of Rs 1 lakh per hectare as disaster relief compensation." Kinnow growers get just one crop a year, but the inputs needed are equal to that required for two crops, he pointed out. Hence, the administration must offer corresponding compensation. Claiming that the losses were much higher in reality than that reported by the authorities, Saharan also said that these orchards should be notified under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to be eligible for insurance ALSO SEE: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/india-heads-into-the-thunderstorm-zone-right-after-the-heatwave-orange-alerts-issued/articleshow/92333863.cms">India heads into the thunderstorm zone right after the heatwave, orange alerts issued</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/imd-predicts-heavy-rain-in-chennai-adjoining-districts/articleshow/92332545.cms">IMD predicts heavy rain in Chennai, adjoining districts</a>

Canal closures make Rajasthan farmers uproot their kinnow orchards in bulk

It is indeed a proud moment for India as an app created by a 25-year-old girl has made its way to the Visualising Cities exhibit at the prestigious <keyword id="6355833" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="united-nations">United Nations</keyword> Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador. 
 Chennai Flood Map is an app that visualizes the impact of last year’s devastating floods in the city. It was jointly developed by five colleagues at <keyword id="2628107" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="mapbox">Mapbox</keyword>, Bangalore, in the last week of November 2015, when torrential rains ravaged Chennai. 
 
It is now among the five projects selected by the United Nations across the world that has "amazed by the way the winning entries took on tough ecological and social challenges something we’ve seen across developed and developing countries" according to a statement released by the United Nations on Monday. 
 25-year-old <keyword id="3807643" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="aruna-sankaranarayanan">Aruna Sankaranarayanan</keyword> came upon the idea to design an interactive app when Mapbox had their monthly hackathon going on. Incidentally, Chennai’s monsoons with severe thunderstorms had battered the city around the same time, flooding many parts. The app she developed displayed an interactive map of the city, and helped people update the status of their locality on it. 
 
 
Anyone caught could mark their area as flooded and it would show up to others in pink. The app completed in two days' time did not receive a great response until the floods situation turned worse by the first week of December last year. The app went viral and so much so that the personal server couldn’t take the load, and it had to be scaled up. 
 
Apart from her passion for software designing, Aruna is also in love with Indian classical music and has been reaching out to many artists to help her with an app that will make Indian classical music more accessible.

This app by a Bengaluru girl that saved several lives during Chennai floods, will now inspire thousands at the UN Ecuador Conference

With every passing hour, the rains in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/ChennaiFloods-These-pictures-show-you-the-grimsituation-that-people-in-Chennai-are-facing-right-now/articleshow/50012695.cms">Chennai</a> are assuming an even dreadful throne, making the situation in the city more worrisome.

	Today saw houses and flats getting submerged, power grids being shut off, residents being stranded without food or a roof above their head.

	But, miraculously the city and its people are pulling through, aided by a lot of help from the good samaritans who've joined hands on social media to ensure they can provide all the help to everyone who's at the mercy of these incessant rains.

	And, they're not alone. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Now-Ola-ferries-to-the-rescue-of-water-loggedChennai/articleshow/49817058.cms">Companies </a>are also coming ahead to do their bit for the people of Chennai.

	After <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">Zomato's Meal Relief delivery service</a> and <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">Paytm's free recharge offer</a>, <keyword id="1042120" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uber">Uber</keyword> now joins the herd by taking to Twitter to announce that all rides taken in Chennai would be free for their customers for today and the whole of tomorrow.

	In the tweet, Uber also advised people to keep trying on the app considering the demand is going to be high.

	Deepak Sridhar, who's in charge of Marketing for Uber took to the microblogging site to state that any ride would be free for today and tomorrow and asked Chennai and its people to stay safe.

	Uber's announcement comes hours after complaints on Twitter regarding the unavailability of cabs in most areas, especially Mylapore 
	 
	(Image credits: Twitter)

#ChennaiFloods: Uber offers free rides in Chennai for today and tomorrow

Yes, you are reading it correct. The land of rajwadas, which is well-known for its appetizing cuisines and royal forts, might soon become a startup hub. According to reports, the state government is planning to establish around 500 <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=startups+">startups </a>by 2020. 
 
Under its startup policy, which is expected to be announced next week, the state has already shed Rs 55 crore for the coming five years, reported The Economic Times. 
 
Veenu Gupta, Principal Secretary, Industries at Government of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Rajasthan+">Rajasthan </a>says, “We plan to bring investments of up to Rs 500 crore in next five years and help set up at least 500 startups in the state, with the help of India's leading venture capital firms, accelerators and tech companies." 
 Gupta, who is also the Managing Director for <keyword id="6355588" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajasthan">Rajasthan</keyword> Industrial development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) says that the government will provide an assistance of Rs 10 lakh per startup in the form of equity or loan. 
 The partner organisations like Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad's Centre for Innovation, Incubation &amp; <keyword id="107737" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Entrepreneurship">Entrepreneurship</keyword> will do the screening of startups. 
 
Apart form Rajasthan, only Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have launched a dedicated policy for tech-based startups. 
Moreover, the state plans to set-up about 50 incubators in the coming five years and it intends to take help of partner organisations like Rajasthan Venture Capital Fund, IIM-A's CIIE, Rajasthan Angel Investors Network (RAIN) and Chennai-based Impact investment firm Villgro. 
 Rajasthan currently possess venture-funded startups including CarDekho and Culture Alley, besides a tech park in Jaipur with firms such as Infosys and Genpact. Moreover, eCommerce firms like Amazon, <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>, Urban Ladder and PepperFry too source a huge amount of textiles and furniture form the state. 
 
"A challenge for Rajasthan-based startups is visibility, which impacts fundraising and hiring. Initiatives like incubation could go a long way for VCs, talent, and potential customers to get to know of exciting startups here," said Nishant Patni, CEO of Jaipur-based language app startup Culture Alley, which raised $6.1 million (Rs 36 crore) in funds this year from New York-based Tiger Global Management and a few angel investors. 
 
<a href="http://media.indiatimes.in/media/content/2014/Dec/reuters-camel-600_1418819720.jpg">Image source</a>

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