Disaster management is closely linked with the Urban Planning of a city and it's Government's policies. A clear understanding of protocols and efficient administrative action is what determines the extent of calamity damage.
The 2015 floods of Chennai, a metropolitan city on the Bay of Bengal coast in Tamilnadu, is a haunting reminder that without the effective precautions in place millions of people could be displaced with unimaginable damage to property and infrastructure.
Excessive rainfall was recorded during the months of November and December that caused an unprecedented increase in water levels in lakes and water bodies in and around Chennai. The Chembarambakkam lake located 25km from central Chennai, is one of the main water supply channels to the city. The Adyar river and other subsidiary streams originate from this lake and it records a total of 108 million m³ in volume.
Reasons for flooding
The floods were mainly attributed to excessive rainfall but also has man made factors contributing to the large extent of damages. Predominant reasons were pointing towards the inefficient management and lack of adequate warnings during and before the events took place.
Encroachment of natural contour. A flood is an expected and controllable calamity that can be naturally diverted if the water is redirected into the contours of a city, to join other streams and rivers and finally into the sea. The encroachment of this path of water that leads to the sea, urban clusters in low lying areas meant for expulsion of water through these trails, can lead to unnecessary diversion of incoming flow of water. These settlements cause the flow of water to be disrupted and gets channeled to new areas, creating further loss of property.
Lack of maintenance and regular checkups of infrastructure can create an emergency situation like this with repercussions that could have been completely undone with a small efforts.
Lack of communication and signal meant there was delay in taking action, the release of water from the lake required early warning to take necessary precautions, this delay caused lethargy and inefficiency. A proper warning system with precautions in place could potentially save the whole calamity from happening.
Impacts of flooding
Loss of human and animal lives, one of the most devastating consequences of any calamity is the loss of lives. More than 500 deaths was reported after the floods, countless stray animals and livestock were washed away with the water.
Loss of property, the houses and commercial spaces in low lying areas around Chembarambakkam were completely washed out or submerged during this calamity owing to them being in the path of drainage. People were forced to seek higher ground along low lying areas and were stranded in building roof tops with no amenities. Kelambakkam, Semencherry, Saidapet and Anna Salai were areas hard hit by the water levels.
Economical impacts include huge losses in terms of intellectual and physical property. Medium sized enterprises (SME's) had the most devastating impacts as trade had come to an absolute halt, lack of transport for basic needs itself meant that logistic services for goods were completely disrupted. The entire market for groceries and medical services had no means of resuming with water levels washing away the enterprise or lack of means to reach the place. All forms of business was stopped and the repercussions lasted long after the floods ended. It took more than six months to recover from the economical damages faced during the floods.
Environmental damages include the suffocation of drainage and large amounts of rubble reaching the shore. All the washed away buildings and vehicles naturally joined the sea polluting and adding to the toxicity of water, in terms of rubble, organic waste, automobile components and other elements of land that definitely do not belong in the sea.
Disabled and hospital patients faced life threat under such severe conditions. Evacuation for them was harder and required more man power. Hospitals faced power cuts and patients that needed constant medical attention were left without hope.
Recovery and action taken
Several people were rescued on lifeboats and floatation devices and taken to higher ground. The families that were displaced were asked to seek terraces and roof tops, food and clothing was provided through helicopters and drones to sustain until they can be rescued.
The public, including myself, participated in crowd sourcing of food and clothing, it was packaged and sent to hard hit areas. Marriage halls, theatres and large gathering spaces were used as makeshift shelters for stranded families. People started accommodating incoming refugees to help them sustain until they can resume their livelihood. True sense of humanity was witnessed first hand and faith in public service restored.
Key takeaways
This case study was a clear example of how Urban Planning and response was directly linked to human crisis like calamities. Better infrastructure and communication with precautions in place could have saved several lives.
It was clear that the mapping of a city is fundamental to understand it's geographic context, demarcate the contours and gradation to better implement these precautions. Encroachment and water front development is essential to reduce risks along these areas. Public awareness is also necessary to immediately take action when and if a calamity occurs.
Prediction of calamities and analysis of day to day impacts in weather and climatic conditions can give us adequate time to implement actions and evacuate risk prone areas. This can be done by surveying low lying areas and providing urban design strategies to better equip the public to handle such events.
As a resident of Chennai, I was privileged enough not to be affected by this flood, I witnessed it's consequences first hand, and it would be an understatement to say that post calamity recovery was a successful one. With contributions to the best of my abilities, I also would like to mention that, Urban defects apart, such events truly bring out the humans in us animals.
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