Chennai faced severe disruption after a spell of intense rain, just days into the northeast monsoon. The downpour, described as cloudburst-like, left several areas waterlogged and brought parts of the city to a standstill.
Disaster response teams and Greater Chennai Corporation workers worked through the night to clear stagnant rainwater. With warnings of very heavy rain issued, officials were said to be stepping up preparedness measures.
The rain also affected residents of Triplicane–Chepauk, the constituency linked to opposition leader Udhayanidhi. At the same time, he left for Dubai, according to the report.
Journalists gathered at Chennai airport after learning of his travel plans, but he did not respond to their questions before departing. The ruling party, referred to as TAVEK in the report, criticised the trip in a post on X, and the visit drew further criticism from various quarters.
