View source for 2015 South India floods

{{short description|2015 Disastrous Floods}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox flood
| name       = 2015 Chennai
| image      =Indian Air Force Relief and Rescue Op during Tamil Nadu Flood December 2015.jpg
| image_size =
| alt        =
| caption    =Submerged bridges in [[Chennai]]
| date       = 8 November 2015 – {{end date|df=y|2015|12|14}}
| damages    ={{INRConvert|199|b|0}} – over {{INRConvert|1000|b|0}} (unofficial estimates)<ref name="floodlosses"/><ref name="floods_washed"/><br />Tamil Nadu: ₹14,602 crore-₹50,000+ crore (US$2.2 billion-US$7.5+ billion, unofficial estimates)<ref name="floodlosses"/><ref name="restoration"/><br />Andhra Pradesh: {{INRConvert|4960|c|0}}<ref name="revised"/><br />Pondicherry: {{INRConvert|333|c|0}}<ref name="floods_washed">{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/business/news/Chennai-Floods-in-November-Washed-Away-Over-Rs-14000-crore/2016/03/31/article3355588.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403015510/http://www.newindianexpress.com/business/news/Chennai-Floods-in-November-Washed-Away-Over-Rs-14000-crore/2016/03/31/article3355588.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 April 2016 |title=Chennai Floods in November Washed Away Over Rs. 14,000 Crore|work=The New Indian Express |date=31 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="UnionTerritory"/>
| fatalities = 500+<ref name="claimed_lives"/><ref name="lives_lost"/><ref name="TNrain"/><ref name="struggles"/><ref name="APHomeMin" /><br />Tamil Nadu: 422 (official, likely more)<ref name="claimed_lives"/><ref name="lives_lost"/><ref name="TNrain"/><ref name="struggles"/><ref name="express">{{Cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Rains-Floods-Kill-269-in-Tamil-Nadu-54-in-Andhra/2015/12/03/article3159074.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208070309/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Rains-Floods-Kill-269-in-Tamil-Nadu-54-in-Andhra/2015/12/03/article3159074.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 December 2015 |title=Rains, Floods kills 269 in Tamil Nadu, 54 in Andhra Pradesh|work=The New Indian Express |date=3 December 2015}}</ref><br />Andhra Pradesh: 81<ref name="APHomeMin"/><br />Puducherry: 3
| affected   = [[South India]] ([[Tamil Nadu]], Puducherry, [[Andhra Pradesh]])
}}

The '''2015 Chennai floods''' resulted from heavy rainfall generated by the annual [[northeast monsoon]] in November–December 2015. They affected the [[Coromandel Coast]] region of the [[South India]]n states of [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref name="sunkmonday" /> More than 500 people were killed<ref name="claimed_lives"/><ref name="lives_lost"/><ref name="TNrain">{{Cite news|title=347 dead in rain-related incidents since Oct 1 in TN|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/347-dead-in-rainrelated-incidents-since-oct-1-in-tn/article7969839.ece|access-date=10 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=10 December 2015}}</ref><ref name="struggles">{{Cite news|last=Janardhanan|first=Arun|title=Now Chennai struggles to lay its dead to rest |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/now-chennai-struggles-to-lay-its-dead-to-rest/|access-date=9 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=10 December 2015}}</ref><ref name="APHomeMin" /> and over 1.8&nbsp;million (18 lakh)&nbsp;people were displaced.<ref name="reunite" /> With estimates of damages and losses ranging from nearly {{INRConvert|200|b|0}} to over {{INRConvert|1|t|0}},<ref name="floodlosses" /><ref name="floods_washed"/><ref name="dna015" /><ref name="assistance" /><ref name="centre" /><ref name="industries" /> the floods were the costliest to have occurred in 2015, and were among the costliest natural disasters of the year.<ref name="costliest">{{Cite news|last=Narasimhan|first=T.E.|title=Chennai floods are world's 8th most expensive natural disaster in 2015|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/chennai-floods-are-world-s-8th-most-expensive-natural-disaster-in-2015-115121100487_1.html|access-date=12 December 2015|work=Business Standard|date=11 December 2015}}</ref>

Though the unusually heavy rainfall in southern India during the winter of 2015 has been attributed to the [[2014–16 El Niño event]], in July 2018 the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) categorised the flooding across Tamil Nadu as a "man-made disaster", and held the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] responsible for the scale of the catastrophe, which the latter had termed a ''natural disaster''.<ref name="Hindu_CAGClaim">{{Cite news
 | last = Kumar 
 | first = B. Aravind 
 | title = CAG terms 2015 Chennai floods a man-made disaster, holds T.N. govt. responsible for the catastrophe 
 | newspaper = The Hindu
 | location = Chennai
 | date = 10 July 2018
 | url = https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/2015-floods-a-man-made-disaster-cag/article24374953.ece
 | access-date = 15 July 2018}}</ref>

==Background==

===Geographical and meteorological explanation===
From October to December each year, a very large area of south India, including Tamil Nadu, the coastal regions of the Andhra Pradesh and the union territory of Puducherry, receives up to 60 percent of its annual rainfall from the [[northeast monsoon]] (or winter monsoon). The northeast monsoon is the result of the annual gradual retreat of monsoonal rains from [[northeastern India]]. Unlike during the regular monsoon, rainfall during the northeast monsoon is sporadic, but typically far exceeds the amount produced by the regular monsoon by up to 90 percent. This excessive rainfall can be exacerbated by an El Niño of order of the magnitude which has since been evaluated to every year, such as 2015.<ref name="underwater">{{Cite news|last1=Sinha|first1= Janardhanan|last2=Amitabh|first2= Arun|title=Extra rain and poor urban planning: Why Chennai went under water|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/extra-rain-poor-urban-planning-why-chennai-went-under-water/|access-date=9 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=19 November 2015}}</ref>

The coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh usually bear the brunt of heavy rains that occur during the northeast monsoon; with numerous river systems and wetlands, Puducherry and eastern Tamil Nadu are prone to flooding.<ref name="underwater"/> The city of Chennai alone experienced five major floods between 1943 and 2005, with the 1943, 1978 and 2005 floods causing particularly severe damage.<ref>{{Cite news|title=When cities went under water|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/floods-in-tamil-nadu-cities/article7965264.ece|access-date=10 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=10 December 2015}}</ref> In addition, unplanned and often illegal urban development has led to many wetlands and natural sinks being built over; this, along with ageing civic infrastructure and poorly designed drainage systems, has resulted in an increased frequency of severe flooding.<ref name="underwater"/>

===Weather systems===
On 8 November 2015, during the [[2015 North Indian Ocean cyclone season|annual Cyclone season]], a [[low-pressure area]] consolidated into a depression and slowly intensified into a deep depression before crossing the coast of [[Tamil Nadu]] near [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] the next day. Because of land interaction and high vertical wind shear, the system weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over north Tamil Nadu on 10 November.<ref name="havoc"/> The system brought very heavy rainfall over the coastal and the north interior districts of Tamil Nadu. On 13 November, [[Kanchipuram]] recorded 340&nbsp;mm of rain and several low-lying areas were inundated and Vembakkam close to [[Kanchipuram]] recorded 470&nbsp;mm. On 15 November, a well-marked low-pressure area moved northwards along the Tamil Nadu coast, dropping huge amounts of rainfall over coastal Tamil Nadu and [[Andhra Pradesh]] with 24‑hour totals peaking at 370&nbsp;mm in [[Ponneri]]. [[Chennai International Airport]] recorded 266&nbsp;mm of rainfall in 24 hours. On 28–29 November, another system developed and arrived over Tamil Nadu on 30 November, bringing additional rain and flooding. The system dropped 490&nbsp;mm of rainfall at [[Tambaram]] in 24 hours starting 8:30&nbsp;am on 1 December. Very heavy rains led to flooding across the entire stretch of coast from Chennai to [[Cuddalore]]. A study from [[Indian Institute of Science|IISc]] shows that on 1 December, clouds were stationary over Chennai.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Role of Eastern Ghats Orography and Cold Pool in an Extreme Rainfall Event over Chennai on 1 December 2015|author=Jayesh Phadtare|journal=Monthly Weather Review|volume=146|issue=4|pages=943–965|publisher=American Meteorological Society.|doi=10.1175/MWR-D-16-0473.1|year=2018|bibcode=2018MWRv..146..943P |doi-access=free}}</ref> This study showed that the mountains of Eastern Ghats blocked clouds that came from the Bay of Bengal from moving further inland. The mechanism is referred to as 'upstream blocking'. Therefore, they were stationary over Chennai throughout the day. These clouds gave continuous rainfall over Chennai that caused massive flooding.

==Floods in Tamil Nadu==

===Chennai===
[[File:Chennai Airport submerged during December 2015 Tamil Nadu flood.jpg|thumb|200px|Aerial view of submerged [[Chennai International Airport]]]]

Between 9 and 10 November 2015, [[Neyveli]] received {{convert|483|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rainfall; rains continued to lash [[Cuddalore]], [[Chidambaram]], [[Tiruvallur]], [[Kanchipuram]] and [[Chennai]].<ref name="havoc">{{Cite news|last=Lakshmi|first=K|title=Rain wreaks havoc in coastal districts|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/rain-wreaks-havoc-in-coastal-districts/article7863341.ece|access-date=16 November 2015|work=The Hindu|date=10 November 2015}}</ref> Several low-lying areas in [[Kanchipuram]], including major thoroughfare Gandhi Road, were inundated as the city and its neighbourhood received a heavy precipitation of 340mm during the 24-hours that ended with 8.30 a.m. on 13 November 2015. The Manjalneer Kalvai, primarily a flood drain channel for the city, overflowed after the Netteri lake breached on the Kancheepuram-Vellore Road in the wee hours of Friday, flooding the entire stretch of Gandhi Road and Munusamy Mudaliyar Avenue and forcing the police to close for traffic the prime junction Moongil Mandapam where the Gandhi Road joins with Vallal Pachaiyappan Salai. Kanchipuram Collector R.Gajalakshmi told reporters later that a total of 7,294 persons were rescued from inundated areas and accommodated in 26 shelters opened by the civic body. Boats were used to rescue the people from inundated areas in Pillayarpalayam, the Collector said. And also Vembakkam close to [[Kanchipuram]] recorded 470mm of rain on 13 November 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2015ലെ പ്രളയത്തിൽ മരിച്ചത് 289 പേർ, അതിനേക്കാൾ വെള്ളത്തിൽ ചെന്നൈ; വെള്ളംകുടിച്ച് 'പെരുങ്കുടി' |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/environment/environment-news/2023/12/05/chennai-submerged-cyclone-michaung-shatters-rain-records-brings-catastrophe.html |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=www.manoramaonline.com |language=ml}}</ref> Continuing rains led to low-lying parts of Chennai becoming inundated by 13 November, resulting in the evacuation of over 1000 people from their homes.<ref name="sunkmonday"/> The flooding in Chennai city was worsened by years of illegal development and inadequate levels of flood preparedness.<ref>{{Cite news|title=More rain sinks Chennai; inept corporation, illegal sites exposed|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/More-rain-sinks-Chennai-inept-corporation-illegal-sites-exposed/articleshow/49796287.cms?|access-date=17 November 2015|work=The Times of India|date=16 November 2015}}</ref> Much of the city remained flooded on 17 November, though rainfall had largely ceased.<ref>{{Cite news|title=In pics: Tamil Nadu sees sunshine, but roads still waterlogged |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/in-pics-tamil-nadu-sees-sunshine-but-roads-still-waterlogged/story-16MOD3Xomim2M9mdUkJIXM.html|access-date=18 November 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=17 November 2015}}</ref> Chennai received {{convert|1049|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rainfall in November, the highest recorded since November 1918 when {{convert|1088|mm|in|abbr=on}} in of rainfall was recorded. [[Kancheepuram]] district registered the heaviest rainfall—183% higher at 181.5&nbsp;cm as against average rainfall of 64&nbsp;cm in October–December period and [[Tiruvallur]] district recorded 146&nbsp;cm compared to average 59&nbsp;cm of rain.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai misses new rain record by a whisker|date=1 December 2015|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-misses-new-rain-record-by-a-whisker/article7936508.ece|work=The Hindu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai receives highest rainfall in Tamil Nadu|first=S. V. Krishna|last=Chaitanya|date=13 November 2015|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/151114/nation-current-affairs/article/chennai-receives-highest-rainfall-tamil-nadu|work=Deccan Chronicle}}</ref> The flooding in Chennai city was described as the [[100-year flood|worst in a century]].<ref name="zone"/> The continued rains led to schools and colleges remaining closed across [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] and [[Chennai]], [[Kancheepuram]] and [[Tiruvallur]] districts in Tamil Nadu, and fishermen were warned against sailing because of high waters and rough seas.<ref name="Skymet2015">{{Cite news|title=Rain wreaks havoc in coastal districts|url=http://www.skymetweather.com/content/weather-news-and-analysis/tamil-nadu-and-chennai-weather-update/|access-date=16 November 2015|agency=Skymet Weather|publisher=Skymet|date=16 November 2015}}</ref>

[[File:2015 South Indian flood Chennai taken by Indian Air Force helicopters.jpg|right|thumb|Aerial view of flood-hit areas of Chennai]]

Though rainfall from the earlier low-pressure system ended on 24 November, another system developed on 29 November, bringing additional rain and the [[India Meteorological Department]] predicted heavy rainfall over [[Tamil Nadu]] until the end of the week.<ref name="threat">{{Cite news|title=Rain threat in TN due to fresh low pressure|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/514405/rain-threat-tn-due-fresh.html|access-date=28 November 2015|work=Deccan Herald|date=28 November 2015}}</ref><ref name="rains">{{Cite news|title=Chennai rains: IMD predicts heavy rains in TN, Puducherry for next 4 days|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/tamil-nadu-heavy-rains-lash-chennai-to-continue-for-two-more-days/article7936729.ece|access-date=1 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=1 December 2015}}</ref> On 1 December, heavy rains led to inundation in many areas of [[Chennai]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rain-batters-Chennai-parts-of-Tamil-Nadu-Normal-life-hit-flights-and-trains-delayed/articleshow/49995842.cms| title=Rain batters Chennai|date=1 December 2015|work=The Times of India}}</ref> By afternoon, power supplies were suspended to 60% of the city while several city hospitals stopped functioning.<ref name="drowns"/> The same day, [[Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu]] [[Jayalalithaa]] announced that, because of the continued flooding and rains, half-yearly school examinations originally scheduled for 7 December would be postponed until the first week in January.<ref name="examinations">{{Cite news|title=Jayalalithaa announces relief measures, half-yearly examinations postponed|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/jayalalithaa-announces-relief-measures-halfyearly-examinations-postponed/article7937054.ece|access-date=1 December 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=1 December 2015}}</ref> For the first time since its founding in 1878, the major newspaper ''[[The Hindu]]'' did not publish a print edition on 2 December, as workers were unable to reach the press building.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai floods: The Hindu not published for first time since 1878|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34981328|access-date=2 December 2015|publisher=BBC News|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> The [[Southern Railway zone|Southern Railways]] cancelled major train services and [[Chennai International Airport]] was closed until 6 December.<ref name="drowns">{{Cite news|last=Janardhanan|first=Arun|title=Chennai drowns in deluge of water; flight services suspended|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/heavy-rains-lash-parts-of-tamil-nadu-puducherry-normal-life-hit/|access-date=2 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=2 December 2015}}</ref>

Chennai was officially declared a [[disaster area]] on the evening of 2 December.<ref name="zone">{{Cite news|title=Tamil Nadu floods LIVE: Chennai officially declared disaster zone; PM Modi takes stock of situation|url=http://zeenews.india.com/live-updates/tamil-nadu-chennai-rains-live-updates-1829037|access-date=2 December 2015|publisher=ZeeNews|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> At the MIOT Hospital, 14 patients died after power and oxygen supplies failed. With a letup in rainfall, floodwaters gradually began to recede in Chennai on 4 December, though 40 percent of the city's districts remained submerged and safe food and drinking water remained in short supply.<ref name="INExpressLIVE"/> Though relief efforts were well underway across most of the area by 3 December, the lack of any coordinated relief response in North Chennai forced thousands of its residents to evacuate on their own.<ref name="flee">{{Cite news|last=Yamunan|first=Sruthisagar|title=Thousands of residents flee north Chennai|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/chennai-floods-latest-updates-relief-rescue-operation-underway-imd-predicts-more-rains/article7944477.ece|access-date=4 December 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> As intermittent rains returned, thousands of displaced residents from Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts attempted to flee the stricken region by bus or train and travel to their family homes.<ref name="menacing">{{Cite news|title=As sky turns menacing again, rescue efforts intensified|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-rains-as-sky-turns-menacing-again-rescue-efforts-intensified/article7949621.ece?ref=relatedNews|access-date=4 December 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> Chennai International Airport was partly reopened for cargo flights on 5 December, with passenger flights scheduled to resume from the following morning.<ref name="exgratia"/> By 6 December, rescue efforts had largely concluded and relief efforts intensified, with the Chennai Corporation beginning to disburse relief packages.<ref name="rainhit"/> Mobile, banking and power services were gradually restored; fuel and food supplies were reaching their destinations, the airport had fully reopened and rail services slowly resumed. Many city neighbourhoods, however, remained flooded with some lacking basic necessities due to the uncoordinated distribution of relief materials. With the city slowly beginning to recover, state and national health officials remained watchful against disease outbreaks, warning that conditions were right for epidemics of water-borne illnesses to occur.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kannan|first=Ramyan|title=Displaced families count their losses|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-floods-aftermath-displaced-families-count-their-losses/article7958695.ece?ref=sliderNews|access-date=8 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=8 December 2015}}</ref> Chennai Corporation officials reported at least 57,000 homes in the city had suffered structural damage, mostly those of working class. State housing boards said they would conduct safety inspections of both public and residential buildings.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lopez|first=Aloysius Xavier|title=Chennai floods: Over 50,000 houses of low income group damaged|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/over-50000-houses-of-low-income-group-damaged/article7959676.ece?ref=tpnews|access-date=8 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=8 December 2015}}</ref> After being closed for the past month, schools and colleges across the affected districts began to reopen from 14 December.<ref>{{Cite news|title=As life limps back to normalcy in flood-hit Tamil Nadu, schools and colleges reopen|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/as-life-limps-back-to-normalcy-in-flood-hit-tamil-nadu-schools-and-colleges-reopen/|access-date=21 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=14 December 2015}}</ref> Relief operations were largely wound up by 19 December.<ref name="corpn"/>

South of Chennai, heavy rains and flooding persisted into the second week of December. In Kancheepuram district, Chengalpattu, kanchipuram, Nandivaram- Guduvanchery, Perungalathur, Tambaram, Mudichur and Anakaputhur were inundated in floodwaters up to 7 metres deep by 5 December, which washed away roads and severed rail links; 98 people from the district were reported to have died.<ref name="limps">{{Cite news|title=Kancheepuram limps back to normalcy|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Kancheepuram-Limps-Back-to-Normalcy/2015/12/05/article3161077.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151207211552/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Kancheepuram-Limps-Back-to-Normalcy/2015/12/05/article3161077.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 December 2015|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> During 4–5 December, parts of Villupuram and Tiruvarur districts received up to 10 centimetres of rain, while some towns in Cuddalore district saw up to nine centimetres.<ref name="record"/> Flood alerts were broadcast to 12 villages in the neighbourhood of the Tirumurthy dam in Tirupur district on 7 December, as the dam was likely to reach capacity within two days; the residents of those villages were urged to evacuate.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Water Being Released from Thirumurthy Dam, Flood Alert Sounded in 12 Villages|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Water-Being-Released-from-Thirumurthy-Dam-Flood-Alert-Sounded-in-12-Villages/2015/12/07/article3165591.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210025633/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Water-Being-Released-from-Thirumurthy-Dam-Flood-Alert-Sounded-in-12-Villages/2015/12/07/article3165591.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 December 2015|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> Due to rainfall in Tirunelveli district, all of its dams had reached or were approaching full capacity by 7 December, forcing local authorities to discharge thousands of cusecs of water from reservoirs and causing the [[Thamirabarani River]] to reach flood stage.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tamirabharani in spate once again|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamirabharani-in-spate-once-again/article7960266.ece?ref=tpnews|access-date=8 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=8 December 2015}}</ref> Torrential rains inundated hundreds of acres of paddy fields in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts, and caused residential areas to flood by 8 December. Large parts of [[Thanjavur]] city were marooned by rising waters, while several houses collapsed under the brunt of rainfall in [[Kumbakonam]] and Veppathoor.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Renganathan|first=L.|title=No sign of let-up in the downpour|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/no-sign-of-letup-in-the-downpour/article7963264.ece|access-date=9 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=9 December 2015}}</ref>

After Chennai district, Cuddalore district was among those most severely affected by the flooding. Six of the district's 13 blocks suffered extensive damage during the floods in November.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Prasad|first=S.|title=Normalcy returning to rain-ravaged Cuddalore district|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/normalcy-returning-to-rainravaged-cuddalore-district/article7871231.ece|access-date=10 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=13 November 2015}}</ref> The resumption of heavy rainfall from 1 December again inundated the Cuddalore municipality and the district, displacing tens of thousands of people.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Thousands Rescued From Flood-hit Areas in Cuddalore|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Thousands-Rescued-From-Flood-hit-Areas-in-Cuddalore/2015/12/03/article3158570.ece1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151206020707/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Thousands-Rescued-From-Flood-hit-Areas-in-Cuddalore/2015/12/03/article3158570.ece1|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 December 2015|access-date=10 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> Rains continued through 9 December.<ref name="unrelenting">{{Cite news|last=Prasad|first=S.|title=Rain unrelenting in Cuddalore|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/rain-unrelenting-in-cuddalore/article7956414.ece?ref=relatedNews|access-date=10 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> Despite the state government and individuals sending rescue teams and tonnes of relief materials to the district, thousands of those affected continued to lack basic supplies due to inadequate distribution efforts; this resulted in several relief lorries being stopped and looted by survivors.<ref name="unrelenting"/><ref name="snatch">{{Cite news|last=Yamunan|first=Sruthisagar|title=In Cuddalore, desperate crowds snatch relief materials from trucks|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/in-cuddalore-desperate-crowds-snatch-relief-material-from-trucks/article7958703.ece?ref=relatedNews|access-date=10 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=8 December 2015}}</ref> Large swaths of [[Cuddalore]] city and the district remained inundated as of 10 December, with thousands of residents marooned by floodwaters and over 60,000 hectares of farmland inundated; over 30,000 people had been evacuated to relief camps.<ref name="unrelenting"/><ref>{{Cite news|last2=Sivaraman|first2=Sruthisagar|first1=R.|last1=Yamunan|title=Cuddalore still under water, thousands cut off|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-floods-cuddalore-still-under-water-thousands-cut-off/article7962573.ece?ref=relatedNews|access-date=10 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=10 December 2015}}</ref>

The state government reported preliminary flood damages of {{INRConvert|84.81|b|0}}, and requested {{INRConvert|20|b|0}} for immediate relief efforts.<ref name="dna015">{{Cite web | title=Tamil Nadu government pegs flood damage at Rs 8,481 crore, CM Jayalalithaa writes to PM Modi | website=dna | date=23 November 2015 | url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-tamil-nadu-government-pegs-flood-damage-at-rs-8481-crore-cm-jayalalithaa-writes-to-pm-modi-2148012 | access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref> On 5 December, a senior state revenue official said the state's official estimates of flood-related losses in November alone exceeded {{INRConvert|98|b|0}}; he added the catastrophic flooding thus far in December could escalate total losses to well over {{INRConvert|1000|b|0}}.<ref name="floodlosses">{{Cite news|last=Kotteswaran|first=C.S.|title=Tamil Nadu: Chennai floods cause a loss of Rs 50,000-cr|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/151206/nation-current-affairs/article/chennai-floods-caused-loss-50-thousand-crore|access-date=9 December 2015|work=Deccan Chronicle|date=6 December 2015}}</ref> On 9 December, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote to Prime Minister Modi, requesting him to immediately declare the "unprecedented, catastrophic and cataclysmic" flooding as a "national calamity."<ref name="calamity">{{Cite news|last=Janardhanan|first=Arun|title=Declare Chennai floods national calamity, Jayalalithaa urges PM Modi|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/jayalalithaa-urges-pm-modi-to-declare-chennai-floods-as-national-calamity/ |access-date=9 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=9 December 2015}}</ref> Aon Benfield, a major UK-based reinsurance broker, classified the floods as the costliest to have occurred in 2015, and the eight-costliest natural disaster of the year.<ref name="costliest"/>

On 13 December, the state government requested the central government to release a total of ₹102.50&nbsp;billion (US$1.53&nbsp;billion) towards relief and rehabilitation efforts, including {{INRConvert|50|b|0}} for a housing project to accommodate 50,000 displaced people, {{INRConvert|7.5|b|0}} to rehouse another 50,000 people who had formerly lived in huts destroyed by the floods and {{INRConvert|45|b|0}} to rebuild damaged roads, drains, tap water pipes and sewers in urban localities.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Jayalalithaa Seeks Rs 10,250 Crore for Flood Victims |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Jayalalithaa-Seeks-Rs-10250-Crore-for-Flood-Victims/2015/12/13/article3175952.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222131939/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Jayalalithaa-Seeks-Rs-10250-Crore-for-Flood-Victims/2015/12/13/article3175952.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 December 2015 |access-date=20 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=13 December 2015}}</ref> On 22 December, the government further revised its estimates, requesting ₹174315.1&nbsp;million (US$2.63&nbsp;billion) in addition to the ₹84.81&nbsp;billion previously requested for the flood damage sustained in November, for a total of ₹259125.1&nbsp;million (US$3.91&nbsp;billion).<ref name="restoration">{{Cite news|title=TN Floods: CM Jaya Seeks Rs 25,912 Crore for Restoration Work |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/TN-Floods-CM-Jaya-Seeks-Rs-25912-Crore-for-Restoration-Work/2015/12/22/article3190817.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222233213/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/TN-Floods-CM-Jaya-Seeks-Rs-25912-Crore-for-Restoration-Work/2015/12/22/article3190817.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 December 2015 |access-date=22 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=22 December 2015}}</ref>

In January 2016, the state government issued a detailed final statement which said 421 people in Tamil Nadu had died of flood-related causes between 28 October, when the first monsoonal rains had arrived in earnest, through 31 December;<ref name="northeast" group="note">Not including 49 people who had died between 1–28 October as a result of the monsoon.</ref><ref name="claimed_lives">{{Cite news|title=Northeast monsoon claimed 470 lives in Tamil Nadu: Jayalalithaa |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/northeast-monsoon-claimed-470-lives-in-tamil-nadu-jayalalithaa/article8064661.ece |access-date=22 January 2016|work=Business Line|date=4 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="TNrain"/><ref name="struggles"/><ref name="express"/><ref name="rains"/><ref name="lead">{{Cite news|last=Janardhanan|first=Arun|title=Chennai floods: Students to homemakers, citizens take lead in relief operations|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/chennai-floods-students-to-homemakers-citizens-take-lead-in-relief-ops/ |access-date=8 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=8 December 2015}}</ref><ref name="climbs">{{Cite news|title=Rains continue in Tamil Nadu; toll climbs past 170|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/rains-continue-in-tamil-nadu-toll-climbs-past-170/article7916090.ece |access-date=26 November 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=25 November 2015}}</ref> however, relief workers alone had reported hundreds more who were missing, and various police reports had placed the death toll in the Chennai region alone at over 500 as of mid-December. Chennai-area morgues and crematoria were reported to have been "piled up" with bodies as floodwaters began receding in the second week of December, while all of the still-functioning area cemeteries had recorded over three times the usual number of burials, up from a normal 25–30 burials per week.<ref name="lives_lost">{{Cite news|title=How Many Lives Have Been Lost in Tamil Nadu Floods?|url=http://www.thequint.com/hot-wire/2015/12/12/how-many-lives-have-been-lost-in-tamil-nadu-floods|access-date=22 January 2016|publisher=The Quint|date=12 December 2015}}</ref><ref name="lead"/> According to the Tamil Nadu government, 3042,000 (3.042&nbsp;million) families had suffered total or partial damage to their dwellings. 3,8276.8&nbsp;million hectares of crops had been lost due to flooding, including over 347,000 hectares of agricultural crops and 35,471 hectares of horticultural crops; roughly 98,000 livestock animals and poultry had died.<ref name="claimed_lives"/> On 25 April 2018, the skeleton of a man reported missing during the floods was discovered in the Chennai neighbourhood of Peerkankaranai near Tambaram, though a definitive identification could not be made immediately.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Skeleton found in Chennai may be of December 2015 flood victim|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/skeleton-found-in-tamil-nadu-may-be-of-december-2015-flood-victim/articleshow/63918322.cms|access-date=13 May 2018|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=26 April 2018}}</ref>

===puducherry===
Puducherry sustained relatively minor damage in November as the depression largely remained offshore; some trees were downed and several banana and sugarcane plantations at Kuttchipalayam were severely damaged.<ref name="battered">{{Cite news|title=Comparatively Mild, but Puducherry Battered |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Comparatively-Mild-but-Puducherry-Battered/2015/11/10/article3121969.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126042542/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Comparatively-Mild-but-Puducherry-Battered/2015/11/10/article3121969.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 November 2015|access-date=19 November 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=10 November 2015}}</ref> Puducherry reported receiving 55.7&nbsp;mm of rainfall over the 24-hour period from 14 to 15 November. Water entered several houses in low-lying areas, while three houses collapsed in Uppalam. Mudaliarpet, parts of Rainbow Nagar, Muthialpet, Krishna Nagar and Lawspet Main Road were inundated, along with portions of roadways near Karuvadikkuppam and the Shivaji statue on the ECR, causing traffic problems. Several roads were badly damaged, hindering motorists, while some members of the public took the initiative to begin clearing areas of water without directions from the government. Chief Minister [[N. Rangasamy|N Rangasamy]] stated the official machinery had been readied in preparation for any flooding, while local administration officials closed all schools and colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal districts on 16 November, anticipating further rainfall.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Low-lying Areas Inundated, Puducherry Wades Through|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Low-lying-Areas-Inundated-Puducherry-Wades-Through/2015/11/16/article3130502.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119203256/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Low-lying-Areas-Inundated-Puducherry-Wades-Through/2015/11/16/article3130502.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 November 2015|access-date=18 November 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=17 November 2015}}</ref>

On 24 November, it was reported over 4800 hectares of farmland had been flooded, though it remained too early to determine the extent of crop damage.<ref name="inundated">{{Cite news|title=More than 4800 hectares of farm land estimated to be inundated|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/more-than-4800-hectares-of-farm-land-esimated-to-be-inundated-115112401139_1.html|access-date=25 November 2015|work=Business Standard|date=24 November 2015}}</ref> On 26 November, the union territorial government submitted a preliminary estimate of damages to the central government, requesting it to release an initial {{INRConvert|1.82|b|0}} for relief; based on preliminary estimates, Chief Minister Rangasamy reported losses as follows: public works ({{INRConvert|120.89|c|0}}), municipal administration ({{INRConvert|487|m|0}}), agriculture ({{INRConvert|72|m|0}}),
power ({{INRConvert|31.4|m|0}}), revenue ({{INRConvert|24.8|m|0}}) and animal husbandry ({{INRConvert|719000|0}}).<ref name="assistance">{{Cite news|title=Puducherry seeks Rs 182.45 crore immediate flood relief assistance|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Puducherry-seeks-Rs-182-45-crore-immediate-flood-relief-assistance/articleshow/49938116.cms|access-date=26 November 2015|work=The Times of India|date=26 November 2015}}</ref> On 1 December, Rangasamy requested an additional {{INRConvert|1|b|0}} for "immediate interim relief".<ref>{{Cite news|title=N Rangasamy seeks interim financial assistance of Rs 100 crore from govt|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/n-rangasamy-seeks-interim-financial-assistance-of-rs-100-crore-from-govt/articleshow/49997961.cms|access-date=1 December 2015|work=The Economic Times|date=1 December 2015}}</ref> At the start of December, Puducherry reported receiving 83.4 centimetres of rain during November alone, as opposed to a normal average of 76.7 centimetres during the entire north-east monsoonal period from October to December.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Puducherry Pounded by 83.4&nbsp;centimeter Rainfall in November Alone|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Puducherry-Pounded-by-83.4-Centimeter-Rainfall-in-November-Alone/2015/12/03/article3158035.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208073454/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Puducherry-Pounded-by-83.4-Centimeter-Rainfall-in-November-Alone/2015/12/03/article3158035.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 December 2015|access-date=4 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> Since rain-related damage had continued even after the submission of a report on the earlier flooding in November, and also after the recent visit of a central government survey team, on 4 December the Puducherry government said it would submit a supplementary report assessing additional damages and requesting {{INRConvert|1.5|b|0}} for a total relief-fund requirement of {{INRConvert|3.33|b|0}}.<ref name="UnionTerritory"/>

From 1 December, torrential rains again inundated portions of the union territory. Puducherry recorded 22&nbsp;cm of rainfall over a 24-hour period, making it the wettest December day ever. Heavy rain beginning on the evening of 4 December flooded parts of Puducherry, continuing through the following morning. According to the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, Puducherry received nine centimetres of rain during this period. Puducherry District Collector D.Manikandan, said the rainfall had been "unprecedented in Puducherry, and the volume has been the highest [since] 1975." The administration said that 618 houses had been damaged thus far and over 2,000 people evacuated to safe places. On 5 December, the Karaikal region recorded 110 centimetres of rainfall since the start of the north-east monsoon.<ref name="record">{{Cite news|title=Marakkanam, Nannilam receive record rainfall|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/marakkanam-nannilam-receive-record-rainfall/article7954946.ece|access-date=6 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=6 December 2015}}</ref> In Karaikal, an enclave of Puducherry, nearly 50 houses were damaged due to heavy rain and flooding.<ref name="record"/>

On 5 December, the territorial government announced that nearly 9,000 hectares of paddy fields had been damaged by torrential rainfall, including 4,420 hectares of paddy fields in Puducherry,4,248.34 hectares in Karaikal and 287.15 hectares in Yanam. The government also reported 1,544 hectares of sugarcane fields under cultivation had been damaged, along with 297.73 hectares of plantains, 231.9 hectares of tapioca and related tubers, 168.10 hectares of vegetable fields and eight hectares under betel-leaf cultivation. Proposed compensation rates would be as follows: {{INRConvert|50|k|0}} per hectare for betel-leaf losses, {{INRConvert|35|k|0}} per hectare for plantains, {{INRConvert|20|k|0}} per hectare for paddy fields and {{INRConvert|15|k|0}} per hectare for losses of vegetables, tapioca, tubers and sugercane. Compensation scales had also been set for losses of cotton, lentils and flowers.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Puducherry: Over 8,900 hectare area under paddy lost in rain|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/puducherry-over-8900-hectare-area-under-paddy-lost-in-rain/article7951890.ece|access-date=10 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=5 December 2015}}</ref>

G. Sundaramurthy, a 62-year-old man in [[Ariyankuppam]], was killed on 9 November when a mud wall collapsed, while Anandan, a 53-year-old man in Ouppalam, was subsequently reported to have died because of the rain.<ref name="battered"/><ref name="flays">{{Cite news|title=Anbazhagan Flays Rangasamy Over Rain Relief Failure|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Anbazhagan-Flays-Rangasamy-Over-Rain-Relief-Failure/2015/11/16/article3130196.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119205011/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Anbazhagan-Flays-Rangasamy-Over-Rain-Relief-Failure/2015/11/16/article3130196.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 November 2015|access-date=18 November 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=16 November 2015}}</ref> On 17 November, S. Chellammal, a 72-year-old woman in Karayamputhur, was killed by the collapse of a rain-weakened mud wall.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Wall Collapse Kills 70-year-old Woman in Karayamputhur|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Wall-Collapse-Kills-70-year-old-Woman-in-Karayamputhur/2015/11/18/article3133565.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151214021201/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Wall-Collapse-Kills-70-year-old-Woman-in-Karayamputhur/2015/11/18/article3133565.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 December 2015|access-date=12 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=18 November 2015}}</ref><ref name="lakh">{{Cite news|title=CM hands over Rs. 4 lakh each to kin of victims|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/cm-hands-over-rs-4-lakh-each-to-kin-of-victims/article7974124.ece?ref=tpnews|access-date=12 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=12 December 2015}}</ref>

===Andhra Pradesh===
The season began on 9 November, with a Depression hitting Tamil Nadu. Rainfall begin pour in the places of Nellore and Chittoor district. Tirumala getting a heavy rainfall of 309mm along with Tirupathi with 148mm in 24 hours triggered a flood situation in Chittoor District. Coastal places of Tada recorded 114mm of rainfall on the same day. There were 3–4 good spells of rain between 9th and 15th. As rainfall began in [[Andhra Pradesh]] on 16 November, local authorities closed schools in [[Nellore district]]. Heavy rain of about 27&nbsp;cm pounded the temple town of Tirupathi. Thousands of lakes and ponds across the district overflowed, with breaches reported in some areas. At Sri Kalahasti, a pilgrimage centre in the region, the [[Swarnamukhi]] River was reported to be rising. Three people were swept away by floodwaters in Chittoor district, and water entered some houses. Roads were damaged in many parts of [[Nellore district]], disrupting transport services. Andhra Pradesh chief minister [[Chandrababu Naidu]] held a teleconference with the [[district collector]]s of affected districts and asked disaster response personnel to be on alert.<ref name="rainrelief"/>

Heavy rainfall in Nellore, Chittoor and Kadapa districts flooded villages and disrupted transport networks. It was estimated by 18 November that at least 500&nbsp;km of roads had been damaged by flooding, with the Chennai–Kolkata highway damaged the previous day and stranding hundreds of vehicles and motorists; officials said it would take days to restore the link. As in Tamil Nadu, the [[Southern Railway zone|Southern Railway]] diverted or cancelled numerous trains.<ref>{{Cite news|title=As rains relent in Tamil Nadu, incessant downpour batters Andhra|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/as-rains-relent-in-tamil-nadu-incessant-downpour-batters-andhra/story-6lAwKUwgbaruuq8fjYin3L.html|access-date=18 November 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=18 November 2015}}</ref> Over 10,000 lorry drivers were stranded on the Tada-Kavali national highway in Nellore district; district officers established 61 relief camps in the flood-affected areas and deputed senior IAS officers to oversee the relief operations in Gudur, Naidupet and Atmakur divisions, respectively. Up to 500 tanks were breached as rivers overflowed, forcing the administration to suspend rescue operations in marooned villages, though administrators supplied 10,000 food and water packets through the rail network, which managed to operate some trains, while the APSRTC continued to run bus services to less-flooded areas such as Atmakuru, Udayagiri, Marripadu and Seetharampuram.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rain Batters Nellore, Relief Operations Hit|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/Rain-Batters-Nellore-Relief-Operations-Hit/2015/11/19/article3135851.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119112000/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/Rain-Batters-Nellore-Relief-Operations-Hit/2015/11/19/article3135851.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 November 2015|access-date=19 November 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=19 November 2015}}</ref>

In Kadapa district, the rains tapered off by 18 November; preliminary estimates were that the district had sustained about {{INRConvert|290|m|0}} of agricultural losses. Horticulture farms at Pendlimerry, Chintakommadinne, Siddhavatam and Khajipet mandals were also destroyed by the rain. Other heavy agricultural losses were reported in Rayalaseema, Nellore, Prakasam, East and West Godavari districts; the chief minister asked agriculture department officials to drain fields at the earliest in order to save crops.<ref>{{Cite news|title=More Rescue Teams Sent to Nellore Dist|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/More-Rescue-Teams-Sent-to-Nellore-Dist/2015/11/19/article3135865.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119175458/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/More-Rescue-Teams-Sent-to-Nellore-Dist/2015/11/19/article3135865.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 November 2015|access-date=19 November 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=19 November 2015}}</ref>

In a letter to Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] on 19 November, Chief Minister Naidu reported preliminary estimates of flood-related damage in Andhra Pradesh included {{INRConvert|12.5|b|0}} worth of agricultural-related damages and {{INRConvert|10.25|b|0}} of damage to infrastructure; he requested central authorities to release {{INRConvert|10|b|0}} for immediate relief efforts.<ref name="centre">{{Cite news|title=AP CM asks Centre to release Rs 1,000 cr for relief operations|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/ap-cm-asks-centre-to-release-rs-1-000-cr-for-relief-operations-115111901079_1.html|access-date=20 November 2015|work=Business Standard|date=19 November 2015}}</ref> According to Naidu, Nellore district was the most seriously affected, reporting an estimated {{INRConvert|13.95|b|0}} worth of losses, followed by Chittoor district, which reported losses of {{INRConvert|8.18|b|0}}. Kadapa district was also seriously affected, with extensive crop damage reported in East and West Godavari districts and a lesser scale of damage in Anantapur, Prakasam and Krishna districts.<ref name="centre"/> The [[aquaculture]] industry in Nellore district was catastrophically affected, with over 8000 hectares of fish and prawn ponds destroyed, at an estimated loss of {{INRConvert|2.5|b|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rajulapudi|first=Srinivas|title=Floods in Nellore may hit seafood exports this year|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/floods-in-nellore-may-hit-seafood-exports-this-year/article7918457.ece|access-date=1 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=24 November 2015}}</ref> On 2 December, Thota Narasimham, an MP from the [[Telugu Desam Party]], reported in the Lok Sabha that preliminary losses in the state roughly totalled {{INRConvert|38.19|b|0}}.<ref name="batter">{{Cite news|last=Rishi Kumar|first=V.|title=Rains batter AP; loss put at ₹3,819 crore|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/rains-batter-ap-loss-put-at-3819-crore/article7941837.ece|access-date=3 December 2015|work=Business Line|date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

Heavy rains resumed on 2 December, adding to the devastation in Nellore and Chittoor districts, with more rains forecast over the ensuing days; Chittoor district received between 50 and 160&nbsp;mm of rainfall. Chief Minister Naidu directed district officials and health, water and sanitation officers to organise water purification and set up medical relief camps.<ref>{{Cite news|title=High alert in AP as Nellore, Chittoor flooded|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vijayawada/High-alert-in-AP-as-Nellore-Chittoor-flooded/articleshow/50027745.cms|access-date=4 December 2015|work=The Times of India|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> On 4 December, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister [[Nimmakayala Chinarajappa]] reported heavy infrastructural losses in Nellore and Chittoor districts, with heavy agricultural losses in Godavari district; he added that over {{formatnum:500000}} acres of standing crops had been destroyed, and that the state government had requested {{INRConvert|37.5|b|0}} in immediate relief funds from the central government.<ref name="APHomeMin">{{Cite news|title=81 killed in rains so far, says Home Minister|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/81-killed-in-rains-so-far-says-home-minister/article7946764.ece?ref=tpnews|access-date=4 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> At the start of December, Chittoor district recorded 65.1&nbsp;cm of rain over the monsoonal season thus far, as opposed to a normal 16.1&nbsp;cm of rainfall. 2,429 hectares of crops in the district were damaged, including 1,790 hectares of paddy that had been submerged. A further 3,039 hectares of horticultural crops were also damaged.<ref name="NCCTirupati"/> After a central government survey team completed an assessment of the flood-hit districts on 12 December, the state government submitted a final revised estimate of damages from the November and December floods; the memorandum stated that the flooding had caused {{INRConvert|49.6|b|0}} worth of damages and losses.<ref name="revised">{{Cite news|title=Rain loss: govt. to submit revised memo to Centre|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/rain-loss-govt-to-submit-revised-memo-to-centre/article8019711.ece?ref=tpnews|access-date=28 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=23 December 2015}}</ref>

As of 4 December 81 people were reported to have been killed by flooding in the state,<ref name="APHomeMin"/><ref name="express"/><ref name="centre"/> while over 14,000 people had been evacuated to relief camps in Nellore and Chittoor districts.<ref name="wall">{{Cite news|title=Andhra Pradesh: 4 children killed as wall collapses due to rains |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/andhra-pradesh-4-children-killed-as-wall-collapses-due-to-rains/story-VeqGq5pxYEXJeM3tCbH13M.html|access-date=18 November 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=18 November 2015}}</ref>

== Consequences of flooding ==
Supplies of basic necessities, including milk, water, and vegetables, were affected due to logistical difficulties. During the December floods in Chennai and the adjoining areas, milk packets sold for {{INRConvert|100}}, five times more than their usual cost. Water bottles and cans were sold at prices between {{INRConvert|100}} to {{INRConvert|150}}. Vegetables were sold at ₹6 to ₹10 over and above their normal average cost at the wholesale level.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Residents stock up for the rainy day|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/residents-stock-up-for-the-rainy-day/article7951811.ece?css=print|access-date=5 December 2015|work=The Hindu|issue=5 December 2015|location=Chennai}}</ref>

Apart from basic necessities, fuel supplies, and travel were greatly affected, especially in Chennai.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai fuel crisis: Fuel supply disrupted in Tamil Nadu's rain-hit capital|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/article/india-news/chennai-fuel-crisis-fuel-supply-disrupted-in-tamil-nadus-chennai-floods/174366/|access-date=5 December 2015|work=The Financial Express|agency=Press Trust of India|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> Numerous accounts of price-gouging were reported; airfares to and from for most parts of South India peaked to almost 10 times over their normal price. A round trip fare from Mumbai or New Delhi to Bangalore, Karnataka (the nearest accessible city to Chennai, Tamil Nadu) was sold by airlines like [[Jet Airways]] at rates of almost {{INRConvert|100000}}, a trip which would have ordinarily cost between {{INRConvert|10|k}} to {{INRConvert|20|K}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=With Chennai airport shut |work=DNA India|date=5 December 2015|location=Chennai}}</ref> Apart from airfares in South India, airfares also increased for other connections within the country, due to disruptions in rail services.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Airfares up as rail disruptions push people to fly|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Airfares-up-as-rail-disruptions-push-people-to-fly/articleshow/49838831.cms|access-date=5 December 2015|work=The Times of India|date=19 November 2015|location=Chennai}}</ref> In response, the [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]] warned companies against taking advantage of the situation to overcharge and that it would intervene if any of the passenger flight carriers did so. On its own, the civil aviation ministry also operated flights from the Rajali naval airbase in Arakonam, Chennai with a fixed price of {{INRConvert|2|k}} per passenger for travel to the northern states and {{INRConvert|1|k}} per passenger for travel to the southern states.<ref>{{Cite news|author1=Mihir Mishra|title=Chennai rains: Aviation ministry warns airlines not to flood their coffers with extra money|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/chennai-rains-aviation-ministry-warns-airlines-not-to-flood-their-coffers-with-extra-money/articleshow/50034791.cms|access-date=6 December 2015|date=4 December 2015|location=New Delhi}}</ref>

In Chennai, over 150,000 (150,000) street vendors sustained losses of over {{INRConvert|3|b|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Over 1.5 lakh street vendors affected|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/over-15-lakh-street-vendors-affected/article8023454.ece|access-date=24 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=24 December 2015}}</ref> The persistent rainfall and flooding forced several major automakers in the region, including [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], [[Renault]], [[Nissan]] and [[Daimler AG]], to temporarily halt production, resulting in estimated losses of up to {{INRConvert|10|b|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lakshmana|first=K.V.|title=Chennai rains may have sunk businesses worth thousands of crores |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/business/chennai-rains-may-have-sunk-businesses-worth-thousands-of-crores/story-dCUi5GHoQPmdddpRk2rLQM.html|access-date=8 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=8 December 2015}}</ref> Industry analysts estimated total industrial losses as a result of the floods to be in the range of ₹10,000 to ₹150&nbsp;billion (US$1.52&nbsp;billion to US$2.27&nbsp;billion).<ref name="industries"/> All of the major auto- and truck-makers in the Oragadam and Sriperumbudur manufacturing belts resumed operations by 8 December, despite ongoing damage assessments; some employees were forced to continue working from their homes.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Balachandar|first=G.|title=Vehicle makers sans Ford resume production at Chennai factories|url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/tamil-nadu-floods-vehicle-makers-sans-ford-resume-production-at-chennai-factories/article7958524.ece |access-date=7 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> Many major information technology companies, including [[Infosys]] and Tata Consultancy Services, closed their offices and had their employees work from their homes, or transferred operations to other locations in cities including Pune and Bengaluru.<ref>{{Cite news|title=When Chennai was logged out and how|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/151203/nation-current-affairs/article/when-chennai-was-logged-out-and-how|access-date=9 December 2015|work=Deccan Chronicle|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> Prices of vegetables and fruits significantly increased, as over 50% of supplies were affected after numerous lorries were stranded.<ref name="industries">{{Cite news|title=Tamil Nadu's deadly rains hit industries hard |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/514696/tamil-nadus-deadly-rains-hit.html|access-date=1 December 2015|work=Deccan Herald|date=30 November 2015}}</ref> The [[Indian Oil Corporation]] was forced to close its large Manali refinery in Chennai because of the floods.<ref name="LIVEChennaiFloods"/> Popular television networks, namely [[Puthiya Thalaimurai]], [[Jaya TV]] and [[Mega TV (Tamil)|Mega TV]] halted services following flood-related technical difficulties. Motorcycle producer [[Royal Enfield (India)|Royal Enfield]] shut its Chennai offices on 1 December, as well as its plants in [[Thiruvotriyur]] and [[Oragadam]], which had already lost the production of 4,000 motorcycles in November.<ref name=Enfield>{{Cite news|author1=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Production at Royal Enfield's Chennai plant hit by floods|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/production-at-royal-enfields-chennai-plant-hit-by-floods/article7945318.ece|access-date=4 December 2015|work=[[Business Line]]|agency=[[Press Trust of India|PTI]]|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> The Chennai real estate market sustained an estimated loss of nearly {{INRConvert|300|b}},<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai realty market faces Rs 30,000 crore loss post floods|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-chennai-realty-market-faces-rs-30000-crore-loss-post-floods-2160122|access-date=28 December 2015|publisher=DNA|date=28 December 2015}}</ref> while over 20,000 small and medium industrial units across Tamil Nadu reported total losses of over {{INRConvert|140|b}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Flood-hit Industrial Belts Clamour for Aid |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Flood-hit-Industrial-Belts-Clamour-for-Aid/2015/12/27/article3198021.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304224231/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Flood-hit-Industrial-Belts-Clamour-for-Aid/2015/12/27/article3198021.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=28 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=28 December 2015}}</ref>

Insurers in India estimated they would receive claims totalling over {{INRConvert|10|b}} for losses to property, cargo and inventory, mostly from auto companies.<ref>{{Cite news|author1=Shilpy Sinha|title=Chennai floods: Insurance companies likely to face claims worth Rs 1,000 crore|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/chennai-floods-insurance-companies-likely-to-face-claims-worth-rs-1000-crore/articleshow/50035351.cms|access-date=5 December 2015|work=The Economic Times|date=4 December 2015|location=Mumbai}}</ref> During the first period of floods, claims worth about {{INRConvert|5|b}} were settled by various general insurance companies in India, largely from shopkeepers and vehicle owners. According to the [[General Insurance Corporation of India]], another large amount of claims was expected to be reported by automobile companies based in South India.<ref name=Insurance1>{{Cite web|author=Accord Fintech|title= Insurance companies likely to face claims worth Rs 1,000 crore|url=http://money.livemint.com/news/insurance/news/insurance-companies-likely-to-face-claims-worth-rs-1-000-crore--413982.aspx|publisher=LiveMint|access-date=5 December 2015|location=Mumbai|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> The General Insurance giant of India, the [[New India Assurance]] alone received claims amounting about {{INRConvert|4.25|b}} from about 1,700 claims submissions till mid December.<ref>{{Cite news|title=TN rains: New India Assurance pegs flood claims at Rs 500 crore|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/news/tn-rains-new-india-assurance-pegs-flood-claims-at-rs-500-crore/articleshowsp/50142526.cms|access-date=18 December 2015|work=The Economic Times|agency=Press Trust of India|date=11 December 2015}}</ref> By late January 2016, various insurers reported they had received roughly 50,000 damage claims totalling {{INRConvert|48|b}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai floods: Insurance cos get Rs 4,800 cr claims|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/chennai-floods-insurance-cos-get-rs-4800-cr-claims/|access-date=22 January 2016|work=The Indian Express|date=23 January 2016}}</ref>

Several Indian IT giants like [[Tata Consultancy Services]] and [[Wipro]] also informed their stakeholders about an expected material impact on its third-quarter earnings due to the floods and then to the low volume revenue during Christmas and New Year holidays in the west.<ref>{{Cite news|title=After TCS, Wipro issues Q3 revenue warning over Chennai floods|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/article/industry/companies/after-tcs-wipro-issues-q3-revenue-warning-over-chennai-floods/179424/|access-date=18 December 2015|work=The Financial Express|date=16 December 2015}}</ref> Car makers were also hugely affected due to shut down of plants, thus leading to lower production volume. German automaker [[BMW]] expected to resume production only from January 2016 while the American automaker [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] started its plant only in late December 2015. The estimated production loss cost of BMW was about {{INRConvert|2.5|b}} and Ford's was about {{INRConvert|6|b}}.<ref>{{Cite news|author1=Ketan Thakkar|title=Chennai floods: Carmakers like Ford and BMW struggle to restart work after screeching halt|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/auto/news/passenger-vehicle/cars/chennai-floods-carmakers-like-ford-and-bmw-struggle-to-restart-work-after-screeching-halt/articleshow/50178816.cms|access-date=18 December 2015|work=The Economic Times|date=15 December 2015}}</ref>

==Relief efforts==

===Tamil Nadu===
[[File:Indian Navy relief efforts during the 2015 floods in Chennai (04).jpg|thumb|right|Relief efforts by the Indian Navy in Chennai]]

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister [[Jayalalithaa]] announced an initial allocation of {{INRConvert|5|b|0}} for relief and rehousing, with {{INRConvert|400000|0}} for each family who had lost relatives in the floods. 12 cyclone shelters were built in [[Nagapattinam district]], while 11 teams of the [[National Disaster Response Force]] (NDRF) were dispatched to Tamil Nadu. Over 10,000 people had been rescued by 14 to 27 November and dozens of relief camps established . The [[Indian Air Force]] deployed four helicopters to airlift flood victims from inundated parts of Chennai city. Over 5,300 people had been rescued by 16 November and dozens of relief camps established.<ref name="rainrelief">{{Cite news|title=Rain batters TN: Jaya announces Rs 500cr relief, IAF in action|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/rain-batters-tn-jaya-announces-rs-500cr-relief-iaf-in-action/story-RQIQUQzbTUIk7QTcVYRuEN.html|access-date=16 November 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=16 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Eleven NDRF teams rushed to Tamil Nadu |url=http://or-politics.com/u-s-world/eleven-ndrf-teams-rushed-to-tamil-nadu/155298/ |access-date=16 November 2015 |publisher=Or-politics |date=16 November 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117032738/http://or-politics.com/u-s-world/eleven-ndrf-teams-rushed-to-tamil-nadu/155298/ |archive-date=17 November 2015 }}</ref> Political parties in Tamil Nadu demanded swift action and the allocation of central government relief funds. Opposition party [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (DMK) donated {{INRConvert|10|m|0}} to the state government on behalf of the party. DMK leader [[Karunanidhi]] however criticised the government's disbursement of {{INRConvert|5|b|0}} as insufficient considering the amount of damage resulting from the floods. He and local [[Communist Party of India]] state secretary R Mutharasan urged efforts to obtain large amounts of federal disaster relief funding; Karunanidhi further suggested soliciting funds "from the rich in Tamil Nadu for disaster relief and the establishment of party monitoring committees to ensure a speedy disbursal of relief without any discrimination". [[Anbumani Ramadoss]], [[Lok Sabha]] MP from the [[Pattali Makkal Katchi]] demanded an immediate {{INRConvert|5000|0}} be disbursed to families that had lost their livelihoods because of the flooding.<ref name="mild"/>

[[File:Indian Navy relief efforts during the 2015 floods in Chennai (02).jpg|thumb|left|Indian Navy officers distribute drinking water in Chennai.]]

The [[Indian Coast Guard]] and the three other branches of the [[Indian Armed Forces]] conducted rescue operations across Tamil Nadu, with the Indian Army and Air Force rescuing people in Kancheepuram district.<ref name="mild">{{Cite news|title=Tamil Nadu rains: Mild showers expected in Chennai; death toll touches 79|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-tamil-nadu-rains-mild-showers-expected-in-chennai-death-toll-touches-79-2146199|access-date=17 November 2015|work=Daily News and Analysis|date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The IAF conducted 25 sorties in Tamil Nadu and in Andhra Pradesh, air-dropping 5000&nbsp;kg of supplies and rescuing 25 stranded people before ceasing operations on 20 November.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Indian Air Force (IAF) Winds up Relief and Rescue Operations in Flood Hit Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/government-press-release/indian-air-force-iaf-winds-up-relief-and-rescue-operations-in-115112001064_1.html|access-date=20 November 2015|work=Business Standard|date=20 November 2015}}</ref> Uninterrupted power supply had been restored in 671 of the 683 [[village panchayat]]s in Cuddalore district, with the remaining panchayats supplied with drinking water through tanker lorries. 40 medical camps and 121 special camps for cattle stock had been constructed and 70 relief camps had distributed 58,000 food packets. Upwards of 5,335 people living in low-lying areas had been evacuated and over 90,000 food packets distributed in 101 relief camps. In Tiruvallur district, 18,501 food packets were distributed through 57 relief camps and 2,958 people had been given shelter. In Kancheepuram district, people in low-lying areas had been moved to safety and 16,000 food packets distributed.<ref name="sunkmonday"/> It was reported on 18 November that 55,000 people across Tamil Nadu had been screened for water- and vector-borne diseases in medical camps, while a further 402 mobile medical units were operating.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Steps afoot to prevent disease outbreak in Tamil Nadu; 55,000 people screened|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/steps-afoot-to-prevent-disease-outbreak-in-tamil-nadu-55000-people-screened/articleshow/49831313.cms|access-date=18 November 2015|work=The Economic Times|date=18 November 2015}}</ref> On 22 November, the central government released an initial {{INRConvert|9396|m|0}} for immediate relief efforts in the state,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Jaya wants Rs 2,000-cr immediate flood aid, gets Rs 940 cr for now |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/jaya-wants-rs-2-000-cr-immediate-flood-aid-gets-rs-940-cr-for-now/story-Lkk4AJ0sh90HYhEmXt6KAJ.html|access-date=23 November 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=23 November 2015}}</ref> sanctioning a further {{INRConvert|10|b|0}} on 3 December.<ref name="LIVEChennaiFloods">{{Cite news|title=Modi announces Rs. 1,000 cr for Tamil Nadu flood relief|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/chennai-floods-latest-updates-relief-rescue-operation-underway-imd-predicts-more-rains/article7944526.ece|access-date=3 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> Over 1.1&nbsp;million (1,100,000) people were rescued in the Chennai region by the time rainfall ceased.<ref name="express"/><ref name="sunkmonday">{{Cite news|title=The Day Chennai Drowned: City Experiences 'Sunk Monday' |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/The-Day-Chennai-Drowned-City-Experiences-Sunk-Monday/2015/11/17/article3131878.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118153224/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/The-Day-Chennai-Drowned-City-Experiences-Sunk-Monday/2015/11/17/article3131878.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 November 2015|access-date=17 November 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=17 November 2015}}</ref><ref name="stop">{{Cite news|title=Chennai: Rains stop, but residents continue to be in distress|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-chennai-rains-stop-but-residents-continue-to-be-in-distress-2146746|access-date=23 November 2015|work=Daily News and Analysis|date=19 November 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Indian Air Force Cheetah helicopters rescue op 2015 Chennai Flood.jpg|right|thumb|Indian Air Force Cheetah helicopters carrying out winching operations to rescue stranded people in Chennai and its suburbs]]

With the return of flooding and rains on 30 November, [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Narendra Modi]] assured all possible help to [[Tamil Nadu]] on 1 December. The NDRF, the Coast Guard and the three other branches of the [[Indian Armed Forces]] resumed the evacuation of stranded people.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/tamil-nadu-news/flights-trains-hit-road-caves-in-as-chennai-faces-worst-rain-in-nearly-100-years-1249869?pfrom=home-lateststories|title=PM Modi Assures All Help as Century's Worst Rain Cripples Chennai|publisher=NDTV|date=1 December 2015}}</ref> In Chennai, the Chennai Corporation established 80 relief centres to accommodate around 10,845 people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chennaicorporation.gov.in/about-chennai-corporation/Relief_centre.pdf|title=Relief Centers|access-date=2 December 2015|publisher=Chennai Corporation}}</ref> The [[Chennai City Police]] mobilised over 10,000 police officers and trained swimmers, deploying drones across the city to locate upwards of 200 people, who were all rescued.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Indian troops battle deadly flooding in Chennai|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34981246|access-date=2 December 2015|publisher=BBC News|date=2 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai rains: Police used drones to locate stranded people|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-rains-police-used-drones-to-locate-stranded-people/article7957968.ece?homepage=true|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> The NDRF had deployed 22 rescue teams to Tamil Nadu by the night of 2 December, and had rescued over 500 people.<ref name="zone"/> By the evening of 2 December, over 4,500 people had been evacuated to 24 relief camps in Chennai district, with a further 23,000 people in 99 relief camps in Kancheepuram district and nearly 2,000 others in 25 camps in Tiruvallur district.<ref>{{Cite news|title=As 35 lakes breach their banks, Chennai goes under again|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/complete-breakdown-of-essential-services/article7938789.ece|access-date=2 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> By the afternoon of 3 December, the NDRF said it had rescued over 5,000 people; 11 army columns were in position by the evening.<ref name="LIVEChennaiFloods"/> Over 1,500 stranded passengers were evacuated from Chennai International by the evening of 2 December.<ref>{{Cite news|title=1,500 stranded passengers being evacuated from Chennai airport|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/1500-stranded-passengers-being-evacuated-from-chennai-airport/article7940891.ece|access-date=2 December 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=2 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Poorvaja|first=S.|title=Exodus Part II: residents flee inundated neighborhoods|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> By 4 December, the IAF had established [[Airbridge (logistics)|air bridges]] from [[Meenambakkam Airport]] to [[INS Rajali|Arakonnam]] and between Arakonnam and [[Tambaram Air Base]], nearly 30&nbsp;km from Chennai; it had rescued over 200 people from both locations. The NDRF deployed over 20 more teams in the Chennai area, and had rescued over 10,000 people in all by the afternoon.<ref name="INExpressLIVE"/> In Kancheepuram district, over 55,000 people had taken refuge in 237 relief camps by 5 December.<ref name="limps"/>

The Indian Navy orchestrated a disaster relief operation under the command of Rear Admiral Alok Bhatnagar, the Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu, Puducherry Naval Area (TNNA). The [[Eastern Naval Command]] of the Indian Navy rushed an [[amphibious warfare]] vessel, the ''[[INS Airavat (L24)|INS Airavat]]'', to Chennai on 2 December, with a complement of 20 divers, five Gemini boats, four landing craft and two boats. Three naval flood relief teams, comprising 86 trained swimmers and divers and three officers, were rushed to Tamil Nadu, along with several hundred food packets. The [[INS Rajali]] naval air station at [[Arakkonam]] functioned as a makeshift airport for transporting relief materials and evacuating stranded people.<ref name="navy">{{Cite news|title=Navy rushes amphibious ship to Chennai for relief ops|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/navy-rushes-amphibious-ship-to-chennai-for-relief-ops/article7942001.ece|access-date=4 December 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=3 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/cheat-sheet/chennai-lakes-at-dangerous-levels-rescue-stepped-up-10-developments-1250458?pfrom=home-lateststories|title=PM Modi in Rain-Hit Chennai, Announces Immediate Relief of Rs. 1000 Crore|date=2 December 2015|publisher=NDTV}}</ref> On 3 December, the Eastern Naval Command despatched the [[fleet tanker]] {{INS|Shakti|A57|6}} and the stealth [[guided missile frigate]] {{INS|Sahyadri|F49|6}} to Tamil Nadu; the ships brought 105 additional divers, 200 tents, 3000 towels, 1000 blankets, 10 field kitchens and food, milk powder, medicines, 5000 litres of bottled water and 700 tonnes of fresh water.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Navy sends two more ships to Chennai|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/navy-sends-two-more-ships-to-chennai/article7946780.ece|access-date=4 December 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> General Dalbir Singh Suhag, the Chief of the Army Staff, flew to Chennai on 4 December to supervise the Army's rescue efforts; he and the General Officer Commanding, Dakshin Bharat Area, conducted an aerial reconnaissance. An additional 15 NDRF teams were planned to arrive in a day or two.<ref name="menacing"/> With rainfall gradually becoming less intense, the pace of relief efforts intensified by 5 December. By then, more than 1.1&nbsp;million (1,100,000) people had been evacuated to safer places and thousands more temporarily housed in relief camps across the city and adjoining districts. People in many localities began draining stagnant water, while government relief efforts were supplemented by thousands of NGO volunteers and individuals with food packets, drinking water, clothes, blankets and medicines. 92 mobile medical teams were deployed across Chennai on 4 December to tend to the needy, while 200 special medical camps became operational on 5 December, in addition to more than 210 camps already operating.<ref name="exgratia"/> Indian physician [[Edmond Fernandes]] lead a post disaster [[Epidemiological method|epidemiological]] research which found 87.9% depressed due to flooding and also provided a policy analysis to integrate work between the city corporation, public work department, slum clearance board, housing boards and development authority in-order to respond efficiently.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

[[Ravi Shankar Prasad]], the Union [[Minister of Telecommunications & Information Technology|Minister of Telecommunications]] said [[BSNL]] would provide free services through the week.<ref name="zone"/> The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), chaired by Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha, sent 5000 litres of milk, 100,000 bottles of water, 7 tonnes of biscuits and 10 tonnes of instant noodles to Tamil Nadu on 4 December; the committee also decided to augment the nine army columns (roughly 675 troops, or 75 per column) operating in the state with an additional five columns (roughly 375 troops).<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai floods: Centre sends 17 tonnes of snacks, 5,000 litres milk to Tamil Nadu|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/chennai-floods-centre-sends-17-tonnes-of-snacks-5000-litres-milk-to-tamil-nadu/|access-date=4 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> In [[Madurai district]], state officials distributed {{INRConvert|1393000|0}} to 412 people whose houses had been partly or completely damaged because of flooding; 111 people in the first category each received {{INRConvert|5|k|0}}, while each of the others received {{INRConvert|4.1|k|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Relief given to flood victims|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/relief-given-to-flood-victims/article7943250.ece|access-date=3 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> Nine shipments of bedding, carpets, biscuits, rice and fresh water packets totalling {{INRConvert|35|m|0}} were despatched by lorry to [[Tiruvallur district]] on 5 December by state Environment Minister Thoppu N Venkatachalam.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rs 3.50 cr worth flood relief measures sent to Tiruvallur dist.|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/rs-350-cr-worth-flood-relief-measures-sent-to-tiruvallur-dist/article7952449.ece|access-date=5 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> On 4 December, the Coimbatore City Corporation sent {{INRConvert|500000|0}} of relief supplies to Chennai, including 2,000 blankets, 1,000 towels, 2,000 baby napkins, 2,000 sanitary napkins, 4,000 candles, 2,000 matches, 21,000 biscuit packets, 6,000 health drink bottles, 6,000 toothpaste and brush sets and a few other items. The corporation also sent 165 men, including 150 conservancy workers, in buses and lorries with equipment to carry out relief operations.<ref name="CoimbatoreRelief">{{Cite news|title=Relief materials pouring in|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/relief-materials-pouring-in/article7950761.ece|access-date=5 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> In [[Kanyakumari district]], residents had by 8 December contributed {{INRConvert|2211000|0}} to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund along with {{INRConvert|3.5|m|0}} worth of relief materials; two shipments of relief materials had been sent to Kanchipuram and Cuddalore districts.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Donations, relief materials pour in|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/donations-relief-materials-pour-in/article7960446.ece?ref=tpnews|access-date=8 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=8 December 2015}}</ref>

As of 10 December, the Tamil Nadu state government said roughly {{formatnum:1716000}} (1716,000) people had been temporarily housed in 6,605 flood relief camps erected across the state, most of which were in Chennai, Cuddalore, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram districts;<ref name="calamity"/><ref name="reliefpackage"/> 600 boats had been mobilised, roughly {{formatnum:12294470}} (12&nbsp;million) food packets distributed, 26,270 medical camps conducted and {{formatnum:2565000}} (2565,000) persons treated in those camps.<ref name="calamity"/> In addition, up to 49,329 people had been screened through 222 medical camps and 97 mobile medical units on 9 December alone.<ref name="calamity"/> An immediate relief of {{INRConvert|675|m|0}} had been disbursed to {{formatnum:111278}} families, and a total of 80,120 people belonging to the army, navy, air force, NDRF, fire service, Coast Guard, police and other official groups had been involved in rescue efforts in the state.<ref>{{Cite news|title=WhatsApp message false, no alarm by NASA regarding 'hurricane', 'high rainfall' in Chennai|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/tamil-nadu/whatsapp-message-false-no-alarm-by-nasa-regarding-hurricane-high-rainfall-in-chennai_1831634.html|access-date=7 December 2015|agency=Zee Media|date=7 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai floods: Amma announces Rs 10,000, 10 kg of rice, a sari and dhoti for victims|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/chennai-floods-amma-announces-rs-10000-10-kg-of-rice-a-sari-and-dhoti-for-victims_1831604.html#comments|access-date=7 December 2015|agency=Zee Media|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> The Chennai Corporation, which began distributing relief materials in the city from 6 December, reported it had received nearly 1.3&nbsp;million (1.3&nbsp;million) of relief materials to that point, including 58,156 bedsheets, 702,000 water packets, 33,000 packets of powdered milk, 52,000 packets of bread, 16,000 bags of rice, 56,000 packets of biscuits, 3500 mats and 2200 saris and dhotis.<ref name="rainhit">{{Cite news|title=Rain-hit claim they have been denied relief material|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/rainhit-claim-they-have-been-denied-relief-material/article7957364.ece?topicpage=true&topicId=2063|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> In Chennai city, over {{formatnum:100000}} (100,000) tonnes of flood debris and sludge was slowly being cleared away, while stagnant water had been pumped from 787 of 859 waterlogged neighbourhoods.<ref name="calamity"/> Relief operations in Chennai were largely concluded by 19 December, by which time 12.8&nbsp;million (12.8&nbsp;million) food packets had been distributed, 186,000 (186,000) tonnes of garbage collected and 1679,000 (1.679&nbsp;million) people screened at 10,833 medical camps.<ref name="corpn">{{Cite news|title=Corpn. to spend Rs. 110 crore on road restoration |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-rains-chennai-corporation-to-spend-rs-110-crores-on-road-restoration/article8044455.ece|access-date=26 January 2016|work=The Hindu|date=30 December 2015}}</ref>

On 5 December, Prime Minister Modi announced ''ex gratia'' payments of {{INRConvert|200000|0}} to the next of kin of those who had lost their lives in the floods, and {{INRConvert|50|k|0}} each to those seriously injured.<ref name="exgratia">{{Cite news|last=Lakshmana|first=K.V.|title=Ex-gratia for Tamil Nadu flood victims; focus shifts to relief work |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/ex-gratia-relief-for-tamil-nadu-floods-victims-receding-water-brings-trouble/story-8o9qDsfxZL21760lpu2jfN.html|access-date=5 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> On 7 December, the Tamil Nadu state government announced a comprehensive relief package for those affected by the floods. According to a statement made by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, people living in huts who had lost them in the floods would be compensated with a permanent house, {{INRConvert|10|k|0}}, 10 kilos of rice, a sari and a dhoti; those affected by flooding and who lived in substantial houses would receive the same clothes and amount of rice along with {{INRConvert|5|k|0}} in compensation. 10,000 permanent houses would be allotted in Chennai and new houses constructed for those previously in huts. The relief assistance would be deposited in the bank accounts of beneficiaries, while aid-in-kind, including rice, dhotis and saris would be distributed through PDS outlets, said Jayalalithaa; she further stated that she had ordered an immediate enumeration of affected families, and that the aid would be disbursed in a few days after a listing was complete. For those living along the banks of the Adyar, Cooum River and the Buckingham Canal and who had lost homes, the Chief Minister ordered an immediate allocation of 10,000 tenements in Okkiyam Thoraipakkam and Perumbakkam, which had been built by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board. Livestock losses would be compensated with {{INRConvert|10|k|0}} (for losses of cows and buffaloes) and {{INRConvert|3|k|0}} (for losses of goats and pigs); poultry would be compensated at a rate of {{INRConvert|100||0}}. Agricultural damage would be compensated at a rate of {{INRConvert|13.5|k|0}} per hectare if 33 percent or more of paddy crops had been lost, and at a rate of {{INRConvert|18|k|0}} per hectare for long-term (perennial) crops. Finally, special camps for two weeks, beginning from 14 December would be held to issue duplicate land title deeds, educational certificates, cooking gas connection cards, voter identity and Aadhaar cards and bank passbooks, all free of cost.<ref name="reliefpackage">{{Cite news|title=TN govt. announces Rs. 10,000 for flood victims|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tn-govt-announces-rs10000-for-flood-victims/article7958436.ece|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=7 December 2015}}</ref>
[[File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi reviews the flood situation in Chennai with the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Dr. K. Rosaiah and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Ms. J. Jayalalithaa, on December 03, 2015.jpg|thumb|right|Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi|Modi]] reviews the flood situation with Chief Minister [[Jayalalithaa]]]]
In addition, on 9 December Chief Minister Jayalalithaa requested Modi to develop a credit and soft loan programme through the Finance Ministry to aid families who had lost personal belongings and household appliances; this was as the state's existing compensation plan was inadequate for effectively compensating affected people for those losses.<ref name="calamity"/> It was reported by ''[[The Hindu]]'' that an average flood-affected person would require a minimum of {{INRConvert|30|k|0}} to be adequately compensated for losses.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kandeval|first=Sangeetha|title=The prohibitive cost of rebuilding one's life|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/the-prohibitive-cost-of-rebuilding-ones-life/article7983125.ece?homepage=true|access-date=13 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=13 December 2015}}</ref> As of February 2016, the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund had received a total of {{INRConvert|3.39|b|0}} in donations.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tamil Nadu floods: Chief Ministers Relief Fund receives Rs 338.77 crore|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Tamil-Nadu-floods-Chief-Ministers-Relief-Fund-receives-Rs-338-77-crore/articleshow/50849579.cms|access-date=4 February 2016|work=The Times of India|date=4 February 2016}}</ref>

===Andhra Pradesh===
In [[Andhra Pradesh]], the state government announced an initial ''ex gratia'' payment of {{INRConvert|500000|0}} to the relatives of flood victims, while 140 relief camps were established in Nellore district, the worst affected. {{INRConvert|20|m|0}} of relief supplies were distributed to fishermen, weavers and local communities in the district; other organisations helped to distribute food packets and blankets.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Death toll put at 12|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/death-toll-put-at-12/article7897952.ece|access-date=20 November 2015|work=The Hindu|date=20 November 2015}}</ref> On 24 November, the central government stated it had released an initial {{INRConvert|10.3|b|0}} towards relief efforts, with further funds possible following an assessment.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Centre allocates Rs. 1,030 cr. to flood-hit AP|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/centre-allocates-rs-1030-cr-to-floodhit-ap/article7914224.ece|access-date=25 November 2015|work=The Hindu|date=25 November 2015}}</ref> In Chittoor district, 8,455 affected households were given a total of {{INRConvert|42.9|m}} in compensation, while 10,797 people were sheltering in rehabilitation camps. {{INRConvert|4714000|0}} was sanctioned to compensate for livestock and poultry losses.<ref name="NCCTirupati">{{Cite news|title=NCC Tirupati unit sends food packets to Chennai|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ncc-tirupati-unit-sends-food-packets-to-chennai/article7950549.ece?ref=tpnews|access-date=5 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> On 3 December, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu offered support to Tamil Nadu, which had likewise been severely affected by the floods.<ref name="LIVEChennaiFloods"/>

===Puducherry===
During the floods in December, the administration in Puducherry evacuated over 1,000 people to relief centres and distributed over 200,000 food packets to affected citizens.<ref name="LIVEChennaiFloods"/><ref>{{Cite news|title=North T.N. bears the brunt of unrelenting rain|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/north-tn-bears-the-brunt-of-unrelenting-rain/article7938269.ece?ref=relatedNews|access-date=3 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> The NDRF deployed two teams in Puducherry; several voluntary organisations launched relief efforts, distributing blankets, food and water.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rescue Works Continue in Rain-Battered Puducherry|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Rescue-Works-Continue-in-Rain-Battered-Puducherry/2015/12/03/article3159260.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208061831/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Rescue-Works-Continue-in-Rain-Battered-Puducherry/2015/12/03/article3159260.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 December 2015|access-date=3 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

On 5 December, district collector Manikandan said 173 relief centres had been opened in Puducherry and that those evacuated from low-lying areas had been moved to 22 relief centres. They were given food thrice a day, with children given milk; blankets were also provided. In the past week, {{formatnum:525475}} food packets had been distributed. Special medical camps were conducted and medicines and sanitary napkins were distributed. The administration opened 66 relief centres in Karaikal to accommodate rain affected persons.<ref name="record"/>

On 4 December, Chief Minister Rangasamy said the union territorial administration would immediately disburse {{INRConvert|1.5|b|0}} in relief to farmers, hut-dwellers, homeowners and cattle owners in the Puducherry, Karaikal and Yanam regions. He expressed pain at witnessing the "unprecedented havoc the rains had caused in Puducherry and Karaikal regions during the last twenty days, damaging standing crops, horticultural crops and also [damaging] houses and huts, besides cattle owners". The administration further decided to provide financial relief of {{INRConvert|1.24|b|0}} to {{formatnum:310000}} families covered under the public distribution system (PDS), or {{INRConvert|4|k|0}} to each family. "All families holding ration cards would be handed relief, and each of 310,000 families would be handed {{INRConvert|4|k|0}}" and it would cost more to the exchequer the Honorable Chief Minister Rangasamy said.<ref name="UnionTerritory">{{Cite news|title=Puducherry CM Rangasamy announces Rs 150 crore relief package for rain-hit Union Territory|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/151204/nation-current-affairs/article/puducherry-cm-rangasamy-announces-rs-150-crore-relief-package|access-date=4 December 2015|work=Deccan Herald|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> On 11 December, the Chief Minister gave {{INRConvert|400000|0}} to each of the families of the victims.<ref name="lakh"/>

On 18 April 2016, the central government approved {{INRConvert|351|m|0}} of additional financial assistance for Puducherry.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Centre approves Rs 842 cr funds for Karnataka, Puducherry and Arunachal Pradesh |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/centre-approves-rs-842-cr-funds-for-karnataka-puducherry-arunachal-pradesh-drought-floods-2765552/|access-date=8 May 2016|work=The Indian Express|date=22 April 2016}}</ref>

==Response==

===National===
Coverage of the flooding in national media outlets was muted, leading to widespread anger on social media.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Rao |first1=Kavita |title=How the Chennai 2015 flood was made |url=https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/how-the-chennai-2015-flood-was-made-1564736261550.html |access-date=4 September 2019 |work=Live Mint |date=2 Aug 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Moorthy |first1=Swati |title=Flood of opportunism |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/know/flood-of-opportunism/article21308897.ece1 |access-date=4 September 2019 |work=Business Line |date=11 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |first2=Sruthisagar|last2=Sivaraman|first1=R. |last1=Yamunan |title=Following the Flood |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/sruthisagar-yamunan-on-the-humanity-and-apathy-during-the-chennai-floods/article7976471.ece |access-date=4 September 2019 |work=The Hindu |date=12 December 2015}}</ref>

President [[Pranab Mukherjee]] said he was "saddened by the loss of human lives and serious damage to infrastructure in Chennai", stating his "prayers and good wishes are with the people of Tamil Nadu during this difficult time".<ref name="INExpressLIVE"/> On 2 December, Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] discussed the ongoing flood situation with Home Minister [[Rajnath Singh]] and Finance Minister [[Arun Jaitley]]. In the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister [[M. Venkaiah Naidu|M Venkaiah Naidu]] said that Singh would chair a high-level meeting to deliver relief to the people of Tamil Nadu. He said the ministers were "trying to coordinate with various agencies on relief operations", and that he had alerted the Civil Aviation Ministry to send food to the relief camps. "Since the runway[s] [are] full of water, we have to send food and other basic amenities to the people stranded [at Chennai airport]", Naidu said, adding that he was moved by the "plight of ordinary people [in Tamil Nadu]". He concluded that it was "time for Parliament to convey to [the] people that [they should] be confident".<ref>{{Cite news|title=PM discusses TN flood situation with Singh, Jaitley, Naidu|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pm-discusses-tn-flood-situation-with-singh-jaitley-naidu/article7941452.ece|access-date=2 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> As the extent of the disaster became clear, the Prime Minister flew to Chennai on the afternoon of 3 December to personally review the relief efforts; he met with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and conducted an aerial survey of flood-stricken areas in the city. In a brief statement which he began in Tamil, upon arriving at Adyar naval base, Modi expressed support and later tweeted "The Government of India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Tamil Nadu in this hour of need."<ref name="LIVEChennaiFloods"/>

On 18 November, [[Amit Shah]], the national president of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], stated the party would donate {{INRConvert|10|m|0}} towards flood-relief efforts in Tamil Nadu and also established a three-person commission to visit the state and report on the progress of the relief efforts with the delegation headed by Union minister [[Nirmala Sitharaman]], accompanied by Union minister [[Pon Radhakrishnan]] and MP [[Gopal Chinayya Shetty]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=BJP to donate Rs 1 crore for flood victims in Tamil Nadu|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/bjp-to-donate-rs-1-crore-for-flood-victims-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/49837918.cms|access-date=18 November 2015|work=The Economic Times|date=19 November 2015}}</ref> [[Sonia Gandhi]], the president of the [[Indian National Congress]] expressed her distress urging central and state government authorities to spare no effort in their relief works, and that Congress party workers were prepared to aid in the crisis.<ref>{{Cite news|title=TN rains: Sonia urges Centre, state govt to spare no effort in relief work|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/TN-rains-Sonia-urges-Centre-state-govt-to-spare-no-effort-in-relief-work/articleshow/49806499.cms|access-date=16 November 2015|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=16 November 2015}}</ref> On 2 December, [[Rahul Gandhi]], vice-president of the INC, expressed his concern via Twitter, stating his thoughts were with the people of Tamil Nadu, and urging Congress party workers in the affected regions to "extend all possible assistance".<ref name="zone"/>

[[Rajya Sabha]] and [[Lok Sabha]] members made urgent requests for all possible assistance on behalf of the flood-stricken areas. T G Venkatesh Babu, Lok Sabha MP from the AIADMK, thanked the central government and Modi for their efforts and requested further aid for Tamil Nadu from the National Disaster Response Fund; he insisted the flood situation in the state should be declared a "national calamity".<ref>{{Cite news|title=LS MPs seek urgent relief to TN for rains, floods|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ls-mps-seek-urgent-relief-to-tn-ap-for-rains-floods/article7940883.ece?homepage=true|access-date=2 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> In the Rajya Sabha on 2 December, leaders of major parties from both sides of the house, including the INC and the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], agreed to donate funds from the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS); the specific amount was to be decided upon.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tamil Nadu floods: RS members offer to spend MPLADS funds|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-floods-rs-members-offer-to-spend-mplads-funds_1829527.html|access-date=2 December 2015|publisher=ZeeNews|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> On 3 December, Home Minister Rajnath Singh stated in Parliament that the flood situation was "alarming", and that Chennai had "turned into an island". Singh reiterated the central government would provide all necessary assistance to Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite news|title=269 dead in Tamil Nadu; 54 in Andhra Pradesh|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-floods-269-dead-in-tamil-nadu-54-in-andhra-pradesh/article7945491.ece?homepage=true|access-date=3 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

The Karnataka state government announced on 2 December that it would donate {{INRConvert|50|m|0}} in relief funds to Tamil Nadu,<ref name="INExpressLIVE">{{Cite news|title=LIVE Chennai floods|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/live-chennai-hit-by-heaviest-rains-in-a-century-normal-life-thrown-out-of-gear/|access-date=2 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> and said it was also ready to donate 100 tonnes of powdered milk worth {{INRConvert|15|m|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Karnataka govt ready with 100 tonnes of milk powder for Chennai|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Karnataka-govt-ready-with-100-tonnes-of-milk-powder-forChennai/articleshow/50027594.cms|access-date=4 December 2015|work=The Times of India|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> [[Chief Minister of Odisha]] [[Naveen Patnaik]] expressed his concern over the flooding in Tamil Nadu to his counterpart Jayalalithaa; on 4 December, the Odisha state government donated {{INRConvert|50|m|0}} to Tamil Nadu.<ref name="zone"/><ref>{{Cite news|title=Odisha sends ₹5 cr to rain-ravaged Tamil Nadu|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/odisha-sends-5-cr-to-rainravaged-tamil-nadu/article7948927.ece?homepage=true|access-date=4 December 2015|work=Business Line|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> In a letter to Jayalalithaa, [[Chief Minister of Delhi]] [[Arvind Kejriwal]] said he was "deeply saddened to learn about the havoc [caused] by incessant rains in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu" and conveyed "deepest sympathies for the loss of life and property ... on behalf of the people of Delhi", and pledged "fullest support and all resources at my disposal towards any cooperation required".<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai floods: Arvind Kejriwal offers assistance to Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/chennai-floods-arvind-kejriwal-offers-assistance-to-tamil-nadu-cm-jayalalithaa/|access-date=2 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> On 3 December, the Bihar state government announced it would donate a further {{INRConvert|50|m|0}} to Tamil Nadu.<ref name="LIVEChennaiFloods"/> [[Chief Minister of Bihar]] [[Nitish Kumar]] attributed the heavy flooding in Tamil Nadu to the effects of [[climate change]] and expressed concern: "Where earlier there used to be less rain, it is now witnessing excessive rain, we all are bothered about this ... [the feelings of] the people of Bihar are with [the] citizens of Tamil Nadu in this hour of crisis." His [[Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar|deputy]], [[Tejashwi Yadav]], said he would donate his first month's salary to victims of the flooding in Tamil Nadu, and encouraged local legislators to likewise donate generously.<ref name="Nitish">{{Cite news|title=Chennai floods: Nitish Kumar expresses concern, Tejaswi to donate first pay|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/chennai-floods-nitish-kumar-expresses-concern-tejaswi-to-donate-first-pay/|access-date=2 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=2 December 2015}}</ref>

The Kerala state government said it would send 10,000 kilos of disinfecting bleach and 10,000 pairs of medical gloves to Tamil Nadu, at the request of its government; it had earlier sent 1.5 lakh charities to the state. The state government added it was further prepared to rush medical teams and medicines to Tamil Nadu if requested.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Philip|first=Shaju|title=Kerala government extends help to flood-hit Chennai|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/kerala-government-extends-help-to-flood-hit-chennai/|access-date=6 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=6 December 2015}}</ref> Haryana contributed {{INRConvert|10|m|0}} to Tamil Nadu from its disaster relief fund; Chief Minister [[Manohar Lal Khattar]] said the state would also donate {{INRConvert|2.1|m|0}} worth of blankets and bedding, and urged Haryana citizens to donate funds to Tamil Nadu through the state relief fund.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Haryana CM flags off relief trucks for rain-hit TN|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/haryana-cm-flags-off-relief-trucks-for-rainhit-tn/article7955050.ece|access-date=7 December 2015|work=Business Line|date=6 December 2015}}</ref> [[Chief Minister of Maharashtra]] [[Devendra Fadnavis]] said on 3 December that [[Maharashtra]] would extend its complete support to Tamil Nadu in regards to the floods ravaging the state. "We stand with the people of Tamil Nadu during [this] time of [its] worst floods, one of the worst times ever [for the state]", Fadnavis said.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Maharashtra stands with Tamil Nadu: Fadnavis |url=http://www.ptinews.com/news/6812401_Maharashtra-stands-with-Tamil-Nadu--Fadnavis.html |access-date=7 December 2015 |agency=Press Trust of India |date=3 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203162903/http://ptinews.com/news/6812401_Maharashtra-stands-with-Tamil-Nadu--Fadnavis.html |archive-date=3 December 2015 }}</ref> On 8 December, Gujarat said it would also donate {{INRConvert|50|m|0}} in relief funds to Tamil Nadu; via Twitter, Chief Minister [[Anandiben Patel]] said the "devastation caused by [the] incessant rains in Tamil Nadu has grieved the entire nation. Gujarat firmly stands with the people of Tamil Nadu during these testing times."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Langa|first=Mahesh Prabhudan|title=Gujarat CM announces Rs. 5-crore aid|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/gujarat-cm-announces-rs-5crore-aid/article7959870.ece?ref=tpnews|access-date=8 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=8 December 2015}}</ref> On 10 December, the Andhra Pradesh government sanctioned a donation of {{INRConvert|100|m|0}} towards flood relief in Tamil Nadu;<ref>{{Cite news|title=CM announces Rs. 10 cr. aid for Chennai flood victims|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/cm-announces-rs10-cr-aid-for-chennai-flood-victims/article7969032.ece|access-date=23 January 2016|work=The Hindu|date=10 December 2015}}</ref> the [[Tripura]] state government donated {{INRConvert|10|m|0}} towards flood relief on 15 December.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tripura government to donate Rs. 1 crore for Chennai flood victims|url=http://thenortheasttoday.com/tripura-government-to-donate-rs-1-crore-for-chennai-flood-victims/|access-date=21 December 2015|publisher=The Northeast Today|date=15 December 2015|archive-date=21 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151221081237/http://thenortheasttoday.com/tripura-government-to-donate-rs-1-crore-for-chennai-flood-victims/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===International===
On 30 November, the [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies]] (IFRC) released 295,550 [[Swiss franc|CHF]] ({{INRConvert|20.3805|m|0}}) through the [[Indian Red Cross]] to assist 17,500 of those affected by the floods with disease prevention and relief efforts. It subsequently announced it would expand its relief efforts to cover an additional 20,000 people in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.<ref name="reunite">{{Cite news|last1=Raha|last2= North|first2=Ashirbad|first1= Rosemarie|title=Indian Red Cross helps reunite families separated by worst flooding in decades|url=http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/asia-pacific/india/indian-red-cross-helps-reunite-families-separated-by-worst-flooding-in-decades-70769/|access-date=17 December 2015|agency=IFRC|date=17 December 2015}}</ref>
* {{flag|Bangladesh}}&nbsp;– The [[government of Bangladesh]] expressed firm solidarity with India. In a letter to Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]], Prime Minister [[Sheikh Hasina]] offered her condolences. "We pray for the salvation and eternal peace of the departed souls. As a close friend and neighbour, we stand firmly by you at this difficult hour", Hasina said.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bangladesh stands by the flood-stricken in India, Hasina tells Modi|url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/12/04/bangladesh-stands-by-the-flood-stricken-in-india-hasina-tells-modi|access-date=4 December 2015|publisher=Bdnews24|date=4 December 2015}}</ref>
* {{flagu|Canada}}&nbsp;– The Canadian government and the Canadian Red Cross contributed towards relief efforts.<ref name="reunite"/>
* {{flagu|China}}&nbsp;– [[Premier of the People's Republic of China|Premier]] [[Li Keqiang]] forwarded a message of consolation to Prime Minister Modi, and expressed condolences to flood survivors and to the families of those killed in the floods. In a message to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Chinese Foreign Minister [[Wang Yi (politician)|Wang Yi]] also expressed his condolences, saying, "It is a friendly tradition for the governments and peoples of China and India to help each other when disaster falls. [The] Chinese people feel the suffering of the Indian people and stand together with them. We believe the disaster-affected people will be able to overcome the difficulties and get back to normal life soon." The Chinese embassy in India contributed {{INRConvert|500000|0}} towards relief efforts, while the Chinese Red Cross contributed a further {{INRConvert|3349000|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=China Offered Aid for Tamil Nadu Flood Victims |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/China-Offered-Aid-for-Tamil-Nadu-Flood-Victims/2015/12/17/article3182389.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222091540/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/China-Offered-Aid-for-Tamil-Nadu-Flood-Victims/2015/12/17/article3182389.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 December 2015|access-date=17 December 2015|work=The New Indian Express|date=17 December 2015}}</ref> 
* {{flagu|France}}&nbsp;– While presiding over the [[2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference]] in Paris, Foreign Minister [[Laurent Fabius]] issued a statement: "Flooding in India's Chennai region has taken a tragic toll. I want to express France's solidarity with all those affected by this tragedy. The unprecedented magnitude of the flooding confirms yet again that we no longer have time. We must take concrete and urgent action against climate disruption."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai floods an alarm to act against climate disruption: France|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/chennai-floods-an-alarm-to-act-against-climate-disruption-france/story-I8AOsVjrKpkBZhxyFKjiIJ.html|access-date=4 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=4 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Sinha|first=Amitabh|title=Ripples in Paris after devastating floods in Chennai|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/chennai-flood-ripples-in-paris/|access-date=4 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=4 December 2015}}</ref>
* {{flag|Iran}}&nbsp;– Iran's Red Crescent Society (IRCS) voiced readiness to assist with relief and rescue operations in the flood-stricken regions. Ali Asghar Ahmadi, the Director General of the IRCS, extended condolences to India over the deadly floods in Chennai. He said Iran was prepared to dispatch relief and rescue teams to the affected areas at the request of Indian officials, and that the IRCS was ready to send shipments of relief supplies, including food, tents and heaters.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Iran Ready for Relief Missions in India's Flood-Hit Areas|url=http://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2015/12/06/935536/iran-ready-for-relief-missions-in-india-s-flood-hit-areas|access-date=6 December 2015|agency=Tasnim|date=6 December 2015}}</ref>
* {{flagu|Japan}}&nbsp;– On 11 December, during an official visit, Prime Minister [[Shinzo Abe]] conveyed his condolences and support to the flood victims in Chennai.<ref>{{Cite news|title=PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN CALLS ON PRESIDENT|url=http://presidentofindia.nic.in/press-release-detail.htm|access-date=12 December 2015|publisher=The President of India: Press Release|date=12 December 2015}}</ref> 
* {{flag|Malaysia}}&nbsp;– The [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Malaysia)|Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] said the [[Government of Malaysia|Malaysian Government]] expressed its condolences and sympathies to the Indian Government and its people, especially to those affected by the floods.<ref>{{Cite news|title=40 Malaysian students stranded by flood at Menakshi Dental College|url=http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1628643|access-date=4 December 2015|work=The Sun Daily|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> Malaysia I-Medik India Chapter had opened a natural disaster fund to all Malaysians. Through their I-Medik organisation volunteer, funds were distributed to flood victims in Chennai. Most of the volunteers who went during relief distribution are Malaysian students who are studying at Saveetha Dental College and Sri Ramachandra Dental College.
* {{flag|Maldives}}&nbsp;– In a message to Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]], President [[Abdulla Yameen]] said he was deeply saddened to learn of the severe flooding. "I wish the recovery efforts every success, and commend the tenacity of the people of India during this challenging time", Yameen said. "Please also convey our sincere condolences to the members of the bereaved families, and our solidarity with the residents of the hardest hit regions."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Naafiz|first=Ali|title=Maldives pres 'saddened' by flood damage in India|url=http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/64499|access-date=3 December 2015|publisher=HaveeruOnline|date=3 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208105830/http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/64499|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{flag|Mauritius}}&nbsp;– During a state visit to India, President [[Ameenah Gurib-Fakim]] conveyed her condolences to those suffering from the flooding in Chennai.<ref>{{Cite news|title=PRESIDENT OF MAURITIUS CALLS ON PRESIDENT|url=http://presidentofindia.nic.in/press-release-detail.htm|access-date=7 December 2015|publisher=The President of India: Press Release|date=7 December 2015}}</ref>
* {{flag|Mexico}}&nbsp;– The Mexican government released a statement through the [[Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (Mexico)|Secretariat of Foreign Affairs]] expressing its condolences. "The Government of Mexico, through the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE), expresses its condolences and its solidarity with the Government and the people of the Republic of India over the lamentable loss of human lives following the floods registered this week in the city of Chennai, the regional capital of the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu, and in the adjoining districts."<ref>{{Cite news|title=México expresa condolencias por las víctimas de las inundaciones en Chennai, India|url=http://www.gob.mx/sre/prensa/mexico-expresa-condolencias-por-las-victimas-de-las-inundaciones-en-chennai-india?hootPostID=cfa171c5e0dcf712990dfcdc52a9887c|access-date=8 December 2015|agency=Government of Mexico: Secretariat of Foreign Affairs|date=4 December 2015}}</ref>
* {{flag|Nepal}}&nbsp;–The Nepalese government expressed its sympathy and solidarity with the Indian people and its government. In a statement, the Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "The Government of Nepal is profoundly grieved over the loss of lives and property caused by the recent floods in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, and expresses deepest condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families. Its thoughts are with those who are still suffering extreme difficulties in their day-to-day life."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Nepal expresses condolence over loss of lives, property caused by recent floods in Chennai|url=http://nepalforeignaffairs.com/nepal-expresses-condolence-over-loss-of-lives-property-caused-by-recent-floods-in-chennai/|access-date=5 December 2015|publisher=NepalForeignAffairs|date=4 December 2015}}</ref>
* {{flag|Singapore}}&nbsp;– The government of Singapore said it would contribute [[S$]]104,835 ({{INRConvert|50.2341|l|0}}) through the [[Singapore Red Cross]] towards flood relief in Tamil Nadu. In a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] Dr. [[Vivian Balakrishnan]] said he was "saddened by the hundreds of lives lost and disrupted due to the severe flooding in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu. Like many Singaporeans, I hope that the floods will recede soon. I am confident that normalcy will return to your state in the near future under your leadership", he wrote. Balakrishnan added that he hoped Singapore's contributions would "be of some assistance to those affected by the floods and demonstrate Singapore's solidarity with the people of Tamil Nadu during this difficult period."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Flood-hit Chennai to get USD 75,000 assistance from Singapore|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/flood-hit-chennai-to-get-usd-75000-assistance-from-singapore/|access-date=5 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> Stating it would donate a further [[S$]]209,670 ({{INRConvert|10|m|0}}), the Singapore Red Cross also launched a public appeal for donations and placed a team of volunteers on standby to travel to India; SRC Secretary General and CEO Benjamin William said, "We are closely monitoring the flood situation, and remain in close contact with our counterparts, the Indian Red Cross Society and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), to explore how we can further support the relief efforts."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Singapore Red Cross launches public appeal for funds to aid South India flood survivors|url=http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/singapore-red-cross-launches-public-appeal-funds-aid-south-india-flood-survivors|access-date=5 December 2015|publisher=AsiaOne.com|date=5 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208160601/http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/singapore-red-cross-launches-public-appeal-funds-aid-south-india-flood-survivors|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{flagu|Spain}}&nbsp;– The Spanish [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (Spain)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation]] issued a statement expressing its deepest condolences and solidarity with those killed or displaced by the floods. "Spain is dismayed by the news of the floods that are affecting the state of Tamil Nadu in the south-east of India, with dramatic consequences of deaths, missing persons and serious damage to infrastructure. The Government of Spain sends to those affected, and to the people and the authorities of India, its profound condolences for the loss of human lives and sentiments of solidarity and closeness to all of those affected by this terrible catastrophe."<ref>{{Cite news|title=COMUNICADO 351: Inundaciones en la India|url=http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal/es/SalaDePrensa/Comunicados/Paginas/2015_COMUNICADOS/20151203_COMU351.aspx|access-date=7 December 2015|agency=Government of Spain: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation|date=4 December 2015|archive-date=18 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918215326/http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Portal/es/SalaDePrensa/Comunicados/Paginas/2015_COMUNICADOS/20151203_COMU351.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{flag|Sri Lanka}}&nbsp;– President [[Maithripala Sirisena]] expressed his "deepest condolences" to the people affected by the floods in Chennai. "My heart goes out to our neighbours in Chennai as they make it through this difficult time", Sirisena said in a Twitter message.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Sri Lankan President expresses condolences to Chennai flood victims|url=http://www.colombopage.com/archive_15B/Dec04_1449216091CH.php|access-date=4 December 2015|publisher=Colombo Page|date=4 December 2015|archive-date=8 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208080613/http://www.colombopage.com/archive_15B/Dec04_1449216091CH.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{flagu|United States}}&nbsp;– [[United States Department of State]] Deputy Spokesman [[Mark Toner]] said, "The US stands ready to assist the people of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, as well as the Government of India as they face the worst flooding in decades. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the people who have perished in these floods, and our thoughts are with those families who are still trapped and whose livelihoods are affected", Toner said. "The US is in touch with the Government of India to discuss ways that we can provide any assistance at this difficult time. Certainly, India is a very developed government with its own domestic services or capabilities to provide emergency assistance. That said, it's something we normally do especially in the cases of strong partners like India, where we offer whatever assistance we can in the aftermath of natural disasters."<ref name="offers">{{Cite news|title=US offers assistance for Chennai flood victims|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/us-offers-assistance-for-chennai-flood-victims/|access-date=4 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> He advised US citizens to divert all travel to the affected areas, while those in the region were advised to shelter in place and monitor updates from the US consulate general.<ref name="offers"/>
* {{flag|Vatican}}&nbsp;– At his Sunday Mass on 20 December, [[Pope Francis]] prayed for the flood victims and led prayers for those affected, saying "My thoughts turn in this moment to the dear populations of India, recently stricken by a great flood. Let us pray for these brothers and sisters, who are suffering as a result of this great calamity, and let us entrust the souls of the dead to the mercy of God."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pope Francis: prayers for India flood victims|url=http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/12/20/pope_francis_prayers_for_india_flood_victims/1195775|access-date=24 December 2015|agency=Vatican Radio|date=20 December 2015}}</ref>

===Religious and spiritual===
The [[Tenzin Gyatso|Dalai Lama]], who had recently visited Chennai, expressed sadness at the unprecedented destruction and the disruption of normal life, and expressed his sympathy with the thousands of people displaced by the flooding in Tamil Nadu. In a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on 4 December, he said, "Chennai was one of the Indian cities I visited when I first came to India in 1956 for the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations. Over the years I have visited this beautiful city several times, most recently three weeks ago as these rains began." He said he was directing the Dalai Lama Trust to make a donation of {{INRConvert|1.5|m|0}} towards ongoing relief and rescue operations, as a token of his concern for those who had suffered from the catastrophe.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Choesang|first=Yeshe|title=Tibet's [s]piritual leader expresses sympathy for Chennai flood victims |url=http://thetibetpost.com/en/news/exile/4819-tibets-piritual-leader-expresses-sympathy-for-chennai-flood-victims|access-date=6 December 2015|work=The Tibet Post|date=5 December 2015}}</ref>

The [[Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai]] and [[Ramakrishna Mission]] expressed their solidarity and did relief work across Chennai, distributing food and clothes, building and renovating homes to the needy; providing flood relief for leprosy afflicted people, and sanitising flood areas.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Ramakrishna Math provides relief in rain-hit areas |url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/chennai-floods-ramakrishna-math-provides-relief-in-rain-hit-areas_1831209.html|access-date=13 December 2015|publisher=Zee News|date=6 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.belurmath.org/news_archives/ |title=News of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission |publisher=Belurmath.org |access-date=14 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120025114/http://www.belurmath.org/news_archives/ |archive-date=20 January 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The Muslim community stepped up holistically to perform relief works. Mosques around the affected parts of the city were opened for camping and shelter.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Yamunan|first=Sruthisagar|date=2015-12-12|title=Following the flood|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/sruthisagar-yamunan-on-the-humanity-and-apathy-during-the-chennai-floods/article7976471.ece|access-date=2020-06-06|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The community also cleaned temples, burying all religious distinctions.<ref name=":0" />

The [[Catholic Church]], through the aid arm of the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of India]], Caritas India, sent {{INRConvert|2.5|m|0}} to Tamil Nadu. Amrit Sangma, Caritas India communication officer, said the organisation would provide food, wash kits and clothes to affected people with the support of four local partners. "Based on [our] general understanding in such situations, our effort will be to bring these basic support[s] to [the] neediest families who may be sheltered in school buildings and other government managed camps", Executive Director Fr. Frederick D’Souza said. Relief work was initially intended to be mostly concentrated in the three districts of Kanchipuram, Villupuram and Thiruvallur, with efforts to widen following further assessments.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite news|title=India: Caritas rushes emergency aid to flood-ravaged Tamil Nadu|url=http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/12/03/caritas_rushes_emergency_aid_to_flood-ravaged_tamil_nadu/1191677 |access-date=6 December 2015|agency=Vatican Radio|date=3 December 2015}}</ref>

===Individuals and organisations===
Despite criticism of the Tamil Nadu government's mishandling of the crisis, many notable personalities and other people helped those affected by floods.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Freaked Out After Losing Home for First Time: Actor Siddharth to NDTV|url=http://www.ndtv.com/tamil-nadu-news/freaked-out-after-losing-home-for-first-time-actor-sidharth-to-ndtv-1252098|access-date=8 December 2015|publisher=NDTV|date=8 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Huffington Post: People Form Human Chain To Save Drowning Man In India|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/human-chain-rescues-drowning-man-in-india_us_565f3d95e4b079b2818cda6d|access-date=2 December 2015|publisher=Huffington Post|date=2 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Stories of Resilience and Kindness During Chennai Floods|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Stories-of-Resilience-and-Kindness-During-Chennai-Floods/2015/12/05/article3160832.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151206014204/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Stories-of-Resilience-and-Kindness-During-Chennai-Floods/2015/12/05/article3160832.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 December 2015|access-date=5 December 2015|work=Indian Express|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> In Chennai, people across the city offered aid, shelter and food through [[social media]] channels like Twitter, [[WhatsApp]], and Facebook. Social media sites were also used extensively to relay information about flooded areas, rescue agencies and food and relief centers. Chennai residents set up a temporary website to crowd source information about people needing help and about those who were ready to help. Celebrities such as [[RJ Balaji]], actor [[Siddharth (actor)|Siddharth]] and [[Chinmayi]] actively participated in the relief process by using social media to co-ordinate aid and gather information.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.catchnews.com/tech-news/chennairains-website-chennairains-org-heping-with-crowdsourced-list-of-people-places-offering-shelter-1449045555.html|title=Chennai rains website helping with crowd sourced list|publisher=catchnews.org|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu visited and distributed relief materials to the flood victims at Tambaram.<ref>Nakheeran [http://nakkheeran.in/users/frmNews.aspx?N=156873] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916001019/http://nakkheeran.in/users/frmNews.aspx?N=156873|date=16 September 2016}} "Venkaiah Naidu in RSS relief camp" 12 December 2015</ref>

A pilot of the Crisis Response Volunteers (CRV) program was kicked of by the [[Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority|State Disaster Management Agency]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai, Soon to Have 1,000 Certified Crisis Response Volunteers |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/jan/26/chennai-soon-to-have-1000-certified-crisis-response-volunteers-873518.html |access-date=2023-06-16|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> Disaster management experts from Survival Instincts organized Chennai into grids that are capable of response, rescue and relief operations, independently.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-01-17 |title=Chennaiites look to pick up crisis management skills |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Chennaiites-look-to-pick-up-crisis-management-skills/article14005037.ece |access-date=2023-06-16 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> College students and corporate members were scheduled into a training regimen that consisted of survival skills, aquatic rescue, emergency medical response, relief warehousing, and essential-material transportation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Survival Skills 101: Chennai, You Ready? |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/jan/05/survival-skills-101-chennai-you-ready-864899.html |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=The New Indian Express|date=5 January 2016 }}</ref>

[[Skype]] announced that it would offer free international calls to landlines and mobiles in Tamil Nadu for "the next few days", starting 3 December 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.skype.com/2015/12/03/international-calls-to-landlines-and-mobiles-in-to-tamil-nadu-india/|title=International calls to landlines and mobiles in Tamil Nadu, India|work=Skype Blogs}}</ref><ref name="intoday.in">{{Cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/chennai-floods-skype-offers-free-international-calls-into-tamil-nadu/1/538417.html|title=Chennai floods: Skype offers free international calls into Tamil Nadu}}</ref> Facebook activated its "safety check" feature to allow Chennai residents to let friends know they were safe, while Google posted a link on its homepage called "Resources for the Chennai Floods", providing details about relief camps and updates on the situation in the city; it also enabled its Crisis Response tool.<ref name="intoday.in" /><ref name="safety">{{Cite news|title=Facebook activates 'Safety' button for Chennai floods|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/facebook-activates-safety-button-for-chennai-floods/article7945099.ece?homepage=true|access-date=3 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> Several Twitter hashtags including #ChennaiFloods, #ChennaiRains and #PrayForChennai were among the top trending hashtags across Twitter in India.<ref name="safety" /> Telecom major [[Airtel India|Airtel]] announced loan credit of {{INRConvert|30}} and free benefits of calls and 50 MB of data. Other telecom operators including [[Vodafone India|Vodafone]], [[Aircel]], and [[Reliance Communications]] also offered free benefits to customers. Indian real estate portal [[Commonfloor.com]] created links on its company website for people who need shelter or want to offer shelter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.realtynmore.com/commonfloor-initiative-for-flood-victims-in-chennai/|title=CommonFloor initiative for flood victims in Chennai|date=4 December 2015 }}</ref> Mobile healthcare startup DocsApp provided free consultation with specialist doctors via mobile.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Mobile-app-offers-free-medical-consultation-for-Chennai-residents/articleshow/50033277.cms/ |title=Mobile app offers free medical consultation for Chennai residents |work=The Times of India |date=4 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204105627/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Mobile-app-offers-free-medical-consultation-for-Chennai-residents/articleshow/50033277.cms |archive-date=4 December 2015 }}</ref>

People helped create online spreadsheets documenting possible shelters and a crowd-sourced map on 27–28 November to document inundated neighbourhoods and streets in Chennai.<ref name="pours">{{Cite news|last1=Sripathi|last2=Joseph|first1=Apoorva|first2=Raveena|title=Help pours in via social media|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/society/chennai-floods-help-pours-in-via-social-media/article7945550.ece|access-date=4 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> Outside India, many members of the Indian and [[Tamil diaspora]] sent non-perishable food, clothes, bedding and relief funds from countries including Malaysia, Singapore, the [[UAE]], Mexico and the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Funds, relief pour in from Tamil diaspora|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Funds-relief-pour-in-from-Tamil-diaspora/articleshow/50069315.cms|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The Times of India|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> Tamil and Indian communities across the United States organised dozens of relief and fundraising drives in over 50 cities, raising roughly {{INRConvert|650|m|0}} in donations by the second week of December.<ref>{{Cite news|title=For Chennai, with love: diaspora raises millions in relief|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/for-chennai-with-love-diaspora-raises-millions-in-relief/article8011169.ece|access-date=21 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=20 December 2015}}</ref>

Many NGOs sent tonnes of food, bedding, clothing and relief materials.<ref>{{Cite news|title=NGOs step in to provide relief in rain-ravaged areas|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/ngos-step-in-to-provide-relief-in-rainravaged-areas/article7956403.ece?topicpage=true&topicId=2063&ref=tpnews|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> Companies including [[Ola Cabs]], [[Paytm]], Practo and [[Zomato]] also aided in the relief efforts.<ref name="intoday.in" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/telecom/news/airtel-offers-free-calls-data-to-subscribers-in-flood-hit-chennai-772719|title=Chennai Floods: Telcos Offer Free Calls, Mobile Data to Subscribers|publisher=NDTV|date=2 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/chennai-floods-bsnl-airtel-vodafone-rcom-aircel-and-paytm-offer-free-talktime/|title=Chennai Floods: BSNL, Airtel, Vodafone, RCom, Aircel and Paytm offer free talktime|work=The Indian Express|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> [[Nestlé]], [[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]], [[PepsiCo]], [[ITC (company)|ITC]], [[MTR]], [[Britannia]] and [[Parle Products|Parle]] contributed thousands of instant meals, boxes of biscuits and 1-litre water bottles, along with tonnes of milk products and coffee; other major corporations, including [[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]] and [[Hindustan Unilever]], donated vehicles and hundreds of thousands of food and medicine packets and actively aided with rescue efforts across the state.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Nestle India supplies Maggi noodles to rain-ravaged Chennai |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/nestle-india-supplies-maggi-noodles-to-rain-ravaged-chennai/story-1hvm92Ap7w9JL41z1jmxcM.html|access-date=6 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=6 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Corporates chip in to provide succour to the needy|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/corporates-chip-in-to-provide-succour-to-the-needy/article7957370.ece?topicpage=true&topicId=2063|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> Hyundai India donated {{INRConvert|20|m|0}} to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Relief fund; U.S. information technology multinational [[Cognizant]] made a direct donation of {{INRConvert|650|m|0}} to the relief fund and various Chennai-based NGOs, while contributing a further {{INRConvert|1.95|b|0}} towards the long-term recovery efforts of staff and business partners.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Cognizant to give $40 mn for relief|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/cognizant-to-give-40-mn-for-relief-115120800300_1.html|access-date=8 December 2015|work=Business Standard|date=9 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Hyundai India contributes Rs 2 crore towards Chennai floods|url=http://overdrive.in/news/hyundai-india-contributes-rs-2-crore-towards-chennai-floods/|access-date=8 December 2015|publisher=Overdrive|date=8 December 2015}}</ref>

Several notable actors donated towards relief efforts, including: [[Vijay (actor)|Vijay]] ({{INRConvert|50|m|0}}), [[Rajinikanth]] ({{INRConvert|1|m|0}}), [[Raghava Lawrence]] ({{INRConvert|10|m|0}}), [[Ajith Kumar]] ({{INRConvert|6|m|0}}), [[Shah Rukh Khan]] ({{INRConvert|10|m|0}}).,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Shah Rukh Khan donates Rs. 1 crore for Chennai flood victims|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/shah-rukh-khan-donates-rs-1-crore-for-chennai-flood-victims/article7958480.ece|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> [[Allu Arjun]] ({{INRConvert|2.5|m|0}}), [[Suriya]] and [[Karthi]] ({{INRConvert|2.5|m|0}}), [[Vishal Krishna Reddy|Vishal]] ({{INRConvert|1|m|0}}), [[Dhanush]] ({{INRConvert|500000|0}}), [[Varun Tej]] ({{INRConvert|300000|0}}) and [[Sai Dharam Tej]] ({{INRConvert|300000|0}}, in food and medicines).<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rajinikanth donates Rs. 10 lakh for rain-hit Tamil Nadu|url=http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/regional/rajinikanth-donates-rs-10-lakh-for-rain-hit-tamil-nadu_1829240.html|access-date=2 December 2015|publisher=ZeeNews|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> Telugu actors, including [[Ravi Teja]], [[N. T. Rama Rao Jr.]], [[Mahesh Babu]], [[Pawan Kalyan]], [[Prabhas]], and [[Rana Daggubati]] donated a further {{INRConvert|3|m|0}},<ref>{{Cite news|title=Telugu actors announce aid for flood victims|url=http://www.newkerala.com/news/2015/fullnews-157460.html|access-date=2 December 2015|publisher=NewKerala|date=2 December 2015}}</ref> Actress [[Shriya Saran]] donated medical supplies to the affected regions in [[Chennai]] while also giving means for anyone to contribute supplies through her foundation Shree Spandana.<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Shriya Saran |user=shriya1109 |number=674048054215970817 |date=7 December 2015 |title=Sending medicines for #ChenaiRainsHelp #ChennaiFloods from #Mumbai inbox me or tweet me if Mumbaikars wnt to contribute }}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Hrishikesh Kanna |user=HrishiKay |number=674451624971104256 |date=8 December 2015 |title=Beauty with a purpose @shriya1109 s #ShreeSpandanaFoundation is collecting medicines for #Chennai now @943RadioOne}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Shriya Saran Bathroom Selfie Dominates her Charity for Chennai Floods|url=https://indread.com/20358/shriya-saran-bathroom-selfie-dominates-her-charity-for-chennai-floods|access-date=9 December 2015|publisher=Indread|date=9 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Shriya's Bathroom Pics Dominated Her Charity|url=http://www.gulte.com/movienews/44878/Shriyas-Bathroom-Pics-Dominated-Her-Charity|access-date=9 December 2015|publisher=Gulte|date=9 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Vijay donated 5 crore rupees to Chennai flood relief fund|url=http://www.onlookersmedia.in/latestnews/vijay-donated-5-crore-rupees-to-chennai-flood-relief-fund|access-date=2 December 2015|publisher=OnLookersMedia|date=4 December 2015}}</ref>

[[Saina Nehwal]] and [[Dipika Pallikal]] announced a donation of {{INRConvert|200000|0}} each for the flood victims.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Saina Nehwal to donate Rs 2 lakh for Tamil Nadu flood victims|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/saina-nehwal-to-donate-rs-2-lakh-for-tamil-nadu-flood-victims/story-A00d0u873pNwMyX55MoIlM.html|access-date=4 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=4 December 2015}}</ref> Retired Sri Lankan cricketers [[Kumar Sangakkara]] and [[Muttiah Muralitharan]] donated {{INRConvert |6.698|l|0}} and {{INRConvert |1|c|0}} respectively while Indian cricketer [[M.S. Dhoni]] donated {{INRConvert|7.5|m|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Cricketers Come in a Big Way For Chennai|url=http://www.gulte.com/sports/44770/Cricketers-Come-In-A-Big-Way-For-Chennai|access-date=6 December 2015|publisher=Gulte.com|date=5 December 2015}}</ref> Sex workers in the [[Ahmednagar district]] of Maharashtra donated {{INRConvert|100000}} towards flood relief efforts by using their savings and eating just one meal a day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/trending/this-is-serious/maharashtra-sex-workers-donate-rs-1-lakh-for-chennai-flood-aid/|title=Maharashtra sex workers donate Rs 1 lakh for Chennai flood aid|date=8 December 2015|work=The Indian Express|access-date=8 December 2015}}</ref> A group of Carnatic musicians including vocalists K.N. Shashikiran, [[Aruna Sairam]], [[P. Unnikrishnan]], [[Nirmala Rajasekar]], P. Ganesh and Thanjavur Murugaboopathi distributed food and supplies to families.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kolappan|first=B.|title=Musicians join hands|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/musicians-join-hands/article7956404.ece?topicpage=true&topicId=2063&ref=tpnews|access-date=7 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=7 December 2015}}</ref> Film composer [[Anirudh Ravichander]] announced that proceeds from his ''Anirudh Live'' concert in [[Toronto]] would go to relief efforts in Chennai.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/Anirudh-Ravichander-dedicates-concert-to-Chennai-flood-victims/articleshow/50120912.cms |title=Anirudh Ravichander dedicates concert to Chennai flood victims |work=The Times of India |date=10 December 2015 |access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref> Amongst several tribute songs, actor [[Vikram (actor)|Vikram]] produced and directed a song titled "[[Spirit of Chennai]]" featuring several South Indian film actors and singers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/spirit-of-chennai-abhishek-bachchan-vikram-and-suriya-come-together-for-a-musical-tribute-to-the-city/1/565705.html |title=Spirit of Chennai: Abhishek Bachchan, Vikram and Suriya come together for a musical tribute to the city : Regional cinema, News |work=India Today |date=8 January 2016 |access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref>

==Aftermath==

By the end of December 2015, most hospitals in Chennai had wholly or partially restored services.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hamid|first=Zubeida|title=Medical services are back on track|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/medical-services-are-back-on-track/article8035849.ece?ref=tpnews|access-date=19 February 2016|work=The Hindu|date=28 December 2015}}</ref> State health authorities in Tamil Nadu reported post-flooding sanitation efforts had been successful, and that there had not been any flood-related outbreaks of disease.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hamid|first=Zubeida|title=No disease outbreak after floods, claim health officials |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/no-disease-outbreak-after-floods-claim-health-officials/article8127846.ece|access-date=19 February 2016|work=The Hindu|date=20 January 2016}}</ref> While floodwaters had largely receded by 19 December, areas of stagnant water covered parts of Tamil Nadu into January 2016, notably around Cuddalore and Tuticorin. Central government survey teams conducted studies on the extent on the flooding in early January.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Central team visits flood-hit areas of Tuticorin|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/central-team-visits-floodhit-areas-of-tuticorin/article8075266.ece|access-date=19 February 2016|work=The Hindu|date=7 January 2016}}</ref>

From 29 December 2015, the Tamil Nadu state government began a massive [[Slum clearance in India|slum clearance]] programme, demolishing dozens of illegally constructed dwellings in the [[Saidapet]] area of Chennai. Located along the banks of the [[Adyar River]], the area had been among those worst affected by the floods. The residents were rehoused in government housing being built in Okkiyam [[Thoraipakkam]] and [[Perumbakkam]]. The government further announced that the rehoused residents would receive an allowance of {{INRConvert|30|k|0}} a year to help them resettle. Medical care would be arranged, children would be enrolled in schools and vocational training would be provided for job-seekers.<ref name="removal">{{Cite news|title=Removal of huts along Adyar river begins |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/removal-of-huts-along-adyar-river-begins/article8043536.ece?ref=relatedNews|access-date=26 January 2016|work=The Hindu|date=30 December 2015}}</ref> Despite voicing concern over their ability to find new jobs, many of those resettled expressed satisfaction with the new flats.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Poorvaja|first=S.|title=The challenges of a fresh start |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/the-challenges-of-a-fresh-start/article8047091.ece?ref=relatedNews|access-date=26 January 2016|work=The Hindu|date=31 December 2015}}</ref> By March 2016, 4,100 families who had lived in the area had been resettled, and the city corporation had cleared away hundreds of illegally encroaching constructions, widening the Adyar River in Saidapet to 220 metres from its previous 50-metre width.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lopez|first=Aloysius|title=Encroachments cleared |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/encroachments-cleared/article8320214.ece|access-date=26 March 2016|work=The Hindu|date=6 March 2016}}</ref>

The Chennai Corporation said civic construction projects totalling {{INRConvert|4|b|0}} and halted by the floods would resume in earnest, and would be completed by 29 February 2016. The corporation also announced that damaged roads would quickly be re-paved and previously shelved storm drain projects would resume.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chennai floods aftermath: Work on civic projects on overdrive |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/work-on-civic-projects-on-an-overdrive/article8052318.ece|access-date=26 January 2016|work=The Hindu|date=1 January 2016}}</ref> By February 2016, repair work on the damaged boundary walls at Chennai International Airport had largely been completed. Based on the findings of a preliminary report submitted by an IIT-Madras research team, the [[Airports Authority of India]] (AAI) announced plans to conduct a full study of the causes of excessive flooding at the airport, along with plans to implement a comprehensive flood-management system; the study was expected to be completed by the end of 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sekhar|first=Sunitha|title=Study to analyse airport flooding in the pipeline|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/study-to-analyse-airport-flooding-in-the-pipeline/article8250442.ece|access-date=26 March 2016|work=The Hindu|date=18 February 2016}}</ref> In March 2016, Chennai's Water Resources Department began work to revitalise and repair reservoirs in Poondi, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Chembarambakkam. The project would include work to strengthen bunds, install flood warning systems and repair sluice gates; it was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016, at a cost of {{INRConvert|130|m|0}}. Local NGOs and hydrology experts emphasised the continued need for a comprehensive action plan to protect urban water bodies, however.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lakshmi|first=K.|title=Work on sprucing up reservoirs starts |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/work-on-sprucing-up-reservoirs-starts/article8395155.ece|access-date=26 March 2016|work=The Hindu|date=25 March 2016}}</ref>

In [[2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election|state legislative assembly elections]] in May 2016, the AIADMK was returned to power in Tamil Nadu, albeit with a reduced majority. The party lost eight seats to the opposing DMK in Chennai district and a further eight seats elsewhere; its losses were attributed to its perceived failure to properly address the flood crisis.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Did the floods drown AIADMK?|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/aiadmk-wins-just-six-seats-in-chennai/article8623878.ece|access-date=15 June 2016|work=The Hindu|date=20 May 2016}}</ref> On 16 June, K. Rosaiah, the governor of Tamil Nadu, announced the state government would soon develop comprehensive flood protection plans for Chennai and its surrounding coastal districts; he said the emphasis would be on providing better roads, storm water drains, solid waste management, sewerage management and street lights. The initiatives would be synergised with the Smart Cities Programme and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation scheme. Funding had also been obtained from the World Bank and from the Asian Development Bank for climate-change impact reduction initiatives, as well as for the restoration of water bodies and tanks.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Flood protection plan soon: Governor|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/flood-protection-plan-soon-says-tamil-nadu-governor/article8737817.ece|access-date=18 June 2016|work=The Hindu|date=16 June 2016}}</ref> As of July 2016, however, local citizens' groups said no constructive work had been done to rejuvenate local water bodies and that the effects of a similar north-east monsoon would have an equally destructive impact.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Will this monsoon be worse than Dec. 2015 floods?|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Will-this-monsoon-be-worse-than-Dec-2015-floods/2016/07/11/article3522838.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712123740/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Will-this-monsoon-be-worse-than-Dec-2015-floods/2016/07/11/article3522838.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 July 2016|access-date=15 July 2016|work=The New Indian Express|date=11 July 2016}}</ref>

In August 2016, a parliamentary panel recommended an immediate special relief and rehabilitation package for Tamil Nadu, in "consonance with the demand of the state." Observing a monetary estimate for flood-related damages in the state could total "thousands of crores", the panel's recommendations included a crackdown on criminals involved in illegal construction, a swift removal of illegal encroachments from flood channels and riverbeds, the preparation of a calamity map of all important cities and including "standard vulnerability indices", and a continued level of high vigilance by central and state authorities, notably by the Home Affairs Ministry and the National Disaster Management Authority.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Parliamentary panel bats for immediate relief for flood-hit TN|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Parliamentary-panel-bats-for-immediate-relief-for-flood-hit-TN/2016/08/13/article3577386.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814192151/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Parliamentary-panel-bats-for-immediate-relief-for-flood-hit-TN/2016/08/13/article3577386.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 August 2016|access-date=12 August 2016|work=The New Indian Express|date=12 August 2016}}</ref>

In response to harsh criticism of a severe lack of transparency and co-ordination during the crisis, the Tamil Nadu government developed a comprehensive disaster response plan, which was successfully implemented when [[Cyclone Vardah]] struck the state in December 2016; the plan effectively coordinated local, state and national relief efforts during and after the cyclone.<ref>{{Cite news|title=How Chennai took on cyclone Vardah|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/vardah-cyclone-tamil-nadu-chennai-how-chennai-took-on-vardah-4434202/|access-date=26 December 2016|work=The Indian Express|date=19 December 2016}}</ref> In February 2017, the Tamil Nadu government announced plans to desilt 12 waterbodies in Chennai at a cost of {{INRConvert|140|m|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=12 waterbodies in Chennai to be desilted|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/12-waterbodies-in-chennai-to-be-desilted/article17384096.ece|access-date=4 May 2017|work=The Hindu|date=1 March 2017}}</ref> In April, the Chennai city corporation began the process of mechanically desilting the city's canals and drains using imported recyclers and robotic excavators.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Corporation goes high-tech to clean up city's canals|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/corporation-goes-high-tech-to-clean-up-citys-canals/article18198317.ece|access-date=4 May 2017|work=The Hindu|date=24 April 2017}}</ref> Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, 49 projects in Kancheepuram district to reclaim, revive and strengthen bunds and waterbodies were reported to be nearing completion, at a cost of {{INRConvert|47.65|m|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Waterbodies being revived at a cost of ₹476.5 lakh|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/waterbodies-being-revived-at-a-cost-of-4765-lakh/article18350614.ece|access-date=4 May 2017|work=The Hindu|date=2 May 2017}}</ref> In May 2017, the Tamil Nadu government inaugurated several flood protection and dam construction and rebuilding projects in Cuddalore district, which had been one of the worst-affected districts during the floods; the projects were estimated to cost {{INRConvert|1.4|b|0}}.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Foundation stone laid for five flood protection schemes in Cuddalore|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/foundation-stone-laid-for-five-flood-protection-schemes-in-cuddalore/articleshow/58573395.cms|access-date=4 June 2017|work=The Times of India|date=8 May 2017}}</ref> In June, representatives of the Chennai Water Resources Department said the department was developing an eight-year, {{INRConvert|12|b|0}} "master plan" to restore 18 major waterbodies in the Chennai metropolitan area.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Project to beef up lakes, prevent flooding|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/project-to-beef-up-lakes-prevent-flooding/article19158918.ece|access-date=19 July 2017|work=The Hindu|date=28 June 2017}}</ref>

==Analysis of causes==

===Unregulated urban planning and illegal construction===
Union Minister for Environment and Forests [[Prakash Javadekar]] termed the Chennai floods a "natural disaster of unappreciated scale", and said it provided lessons to improve urban planning and improve city governance. "Chennai gives a lesson, and we must learn from this lesson and improve our urban planning and improve city governance, which is very essential." He also criticised the Chennai Corporation for not having done enough "to remove all encroachments. Unless you allow the drains to flow freely to the sea, water will be clogged and that is what has unfortunately happened."<ref name="javadekar">{{Cite news|title=Chennai rains a 'natural disaster of unprecedented scale': Javadekar|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/prakash-javadekar-says-chennai-rains-are-a-natural-disaster-of-unprecedented-scale/article7949452.ece|access-date=4 December 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=4 December 2015}}</ref>

[[Sunita Narain]], the director of the [[Centre for Science and Environment]] (CSE) [[think tank]], said the unprecedented floods in the Chennai metropolitan region were the direct result of unregulated urbanisation. According to Narain, "our [[urban sprawl]]s such as Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Srinagar, etc., have not paid adequate attention to the natural water bodies that exist in them. In Chennai, each of its lakes has a natural flood discharge channel which drains the spillover. But we have built over many of these water bodies, blocking the smooth flow of water. We have forgotten the art of drainage. We only see land for buildings, not for water."<ref name="unregulated">{{Cite news|last=Vasudeva|first=Vikas|title=Unregulated urbanisation to blame for Chennai flooding: CSE experts|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/unregulated-urbanisation-to-blame-for-chennai-flooding-cse-experts/article7945813.ece|access-date=3 December 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=3 December 2015}}</ref> According to research conducted by CSE, Chennai had over 600 lakes in the 1980s, but a master plan published in 2008 showed only a fraction of them to be in a healthy condition. State records have shown the total area of 19 major lakes shrank from 1,130 hectares in the 1980s to around 645 hectares in the early 2000s, reducing their storage capacity.<ref name="unregulated"/>

===Improper design and maintenance of drainage systems===
Media reports stated the [[Chennai Corporation]] had ignored September warnings of above-average monsoonal rains issued by the [[India Meteorological Department]], and that extensive and costly projects begun in 2013 to desilt city storm drains had been ineffectively conducted. The drains themselves were reported to have been shoddily built and improperly designed.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Highest rainfall in 10 years washes away Chennai's expensive drainage, desilting projects|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/highest-rainfall-in-10-years-washes-away-chennais-expensive-drainage-desilting-projects/|access-date=18 November 2015|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=17 November 2015}}</ref> Drains carrying surplus water from tanks to other wetlands had also been encroached upon, while city storm water drains were clogged and required immediate desilting. Chennai has only 855&nbsp;km of stormwater drains against 2,847&nbsp;km of urban roads, resulting in flooding after even a marginally heavy downpour.<ref name="unregulated"/> A 2015 [[Comptroller and Auditor General of India|CAG]] report revealed that a diversion channel from the [[Buckingham canal]] near Okkiyum Maduvu to the sea (a drain project under the JNNURM scheme) could have saved South Chennai from flooding; the government, however, dropped the ₹1&nbsp;billion scheme, which, had it been completed, would have drained floodwater from southern neighbourhood at a rate of 3,500 cubic feet per second. The 2015 CAG report said the defective planning of flood control projects caused delays and increased costs, defeating the objective of the scheme. "The fact is that alleviation of inundation of flood water in Chennai city remains largely unachieved", it said.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Flood: Chennai corpn learned little from CAG advice|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Flood-Chennai-corpn-learned-little-from-CAG-advice/articleshow/49852204.cms|access-date=25 November 2015|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=20 November 2015}}</ref>

===Climate-change related===
Union [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change|Environment and Forests Minister]] [[Prakash Javadekar|Javadekar]] said the exact causes of the flooding – whether the result of climate change or stemming from other causes – remained in "a grey area" as experts had differing opinions. Regarding the current floods, he said the United Nations would not deem the evidence conclusive enough to be able to reach a judgment. "One thing is sure, climate change brings such disasters more frequently. So [the] frequency, [the] ferocity of untimely rains increases, [along with] erratic monsoons, droughts and floods; all these are caused [by climate change]." he said.<ref name="javadekar"/> He subsequently clarified his position on the Tamil Nadu floods in a written statement addressed to the [[Rajya Sabha]]. According to Javadekar, the recent extreme rainfall across the region was "highly localised" and could not be definitively attributed to the effects of climate-change. "[The] extreme rainfall that occurred over [the] coastal districts of Tamil Nadu is part of the natural variability of the Indian monsoon system. Although some studies have reported an increase in frequency and intensity of extremes in rainfall during the past 40–50 years, their attribution to global warming is not established." Javadekar said the [[Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change]] (IPCC) and local assessments have indicated that extreme rainfall events will likely increase in frequency by the end of the 21st century.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tamil Nadu rain 'highly localised' event, no link with global warming: Javadekar tells RS|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-rain-highly-localised-event-no-link-with-global-warming/article8014383.ece|access-date=21 December 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=21 December 2015}}</ref>

In 2006, a study by the [[Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology]] (IITM) in Pune showed extreme precipitation events had increased in frequency and intensity in India over the period from 1950 to the 2000s; while CSE's climate change experts recommend detailed attribution studies to establish more links between the Chennai floods and climate change, they did state that existing scientific studies establish a possible connection.<ref name="unregulated"/>

==Controversies==

===Inadequate response of authorities===
Many flood victims across Chennai and Tamil Nadu protested ineffectual response and the lack of help from authorities. In the chief minister's state assembly constituency of [[Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituency|Radhakrishnan Nagar]], flood victims heckled senior ministers Natham Viswanathan, Sellur Raju and Gokul Indira following their visit on 4 December, forcing them to make a hasty retreat. At a subsequent press conference, Tamil Nadu Power Minister Natham Viswanathan and chief secretary Gnanadesikan claimed that relief and rescue work were in full swing and "extraordinary". Viswanathan deflected opposition criticism of relief efforts as politically motivated, in light of upcoming assembly elections. He claimed people in even the worst-affected localities had refused to leave their homes and had accepted only food relief from official agencies.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Jaya photo on relief packages, Bahubali reference irk Chennaites |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/jaya-photo-on-relief-packages-bahubali-reference-irk-chennaites/story-uuUv65tmvnqnxtbCj4iRVN.html|access-date=5 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=5 December 2015}}</ref>

Following a statement by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that the flooding had been the result of exceptional rainfall, the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) issued a strong criticism on 16 November, stating that the flooding in Chennai could have been averted if local and state officials had taken strong precautions. The state BJP president, [[Tamilisai Soundararajan]], said: "Even if it was six months of rain on a single day, the administration should have been ready to tackle it." Tamilisai mentioned the cleaning and de-silting of the [[Cooum]] River would allow it to divert large amounts of runoff during the monsoons.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Govt. did not take precautions: BJP |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/govt-did-not-take-precautions-bjp/article7885641.ece|access-date=18 November 2015|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=17 November 2015}}</ref>

In North Chennai area, residents staged protests and criticised the government for its lack of any rescue response in their locality.<ref name="flee"/> In Puducherry, AIADMK legislator A Anbazhagan said that the government was not providing relief to affected people and had not taken any precautions, contrary to the government's assurances; he added the administration failed to promptly mobilise various essential departments and urged the territorial administration to carefully prepare a report to ensure delivery of relief to those affected.<ref name="flays"/> Jet Skis and SUV vehicles were used in places like Anna Nagar to aid the people in mobility due to the high water level. Following numerous complaints regarding the Tamil Nadu state government's lack of relief effort co-ordination, a [[public-interest litigation]] petition was filed in the [[Madras High Court]]; on 11 December, Chief Justice S.K. Kaul and Justice Puspha Sathyanarayana heard the petition and converted it to ''[[suo moto]]'' proceedings. The justices directed the state government to report its relief-effort co-ordination measures to the court by 16 December.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Sureshkumar|title=HC seeks details of coordination in flood relief work by December 16|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadu-floods-madras-high-court-seeks-details-of-coordination-in-relief-work-by-december-16/article7977992.ece|access-date=13 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=12 December 2015}}</ref>

After the Tamil Nadu government announced a flood-relief package on 7 December, many flood survivors criticised it as meagre and "insulting." DMK leader [[M.K. Stalin]] said the state's financial assistance of {{INRConvert|5|k|0}} for each displaced family "would not be of much help to the people."<ref>{{Cite news|title=Flood-hit people call Jaya's Rs 5,000–10,000 financial aid an 'insult' |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/jaya-s-flood-relief-package-is-an-insult-chennai-residents/story-bFw1G3kRlhFN1u3Sr5qT8N.html |access-date=8 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=8 December 2015}}</ref> A survey conducted in the worst-affected districts of Chennai by a group of volunteer organisations between 15 and 30 December found that most families had lost their sources of livelihood, and that the amount of financial assistance was insufficient. Lacking ration cards, migrant workers were the worst off, as they were ineligible for any assistance. Many residents in those areas complained the authorities had insufficiently taken measures to prepare for the floods.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Flood-hit people need more relief|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/floodhit-people-need-more-relief/article8104337.ece|access-date=19 February 2016|work=The Hindu|date=14 January 2016}}</ref>

The [[National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights]] (NCDHR) and the Social Awareness Society for Youths (SASY) surveyed 8,400 [[Dalit]] and non-Dalit families in 20 villages in the [[Cuddalore]] region in December 2015 and found that around 90 percent of the houses, livestock and crops destroyed in the floods belonged to Dalit families, who made up the majority of flood-displaced people. The final report alleged dominant [[caste]] people blocked access to clean water, medicines; official relief measures were concentrated in more accessible upper-caste neighbourhoods. On average, a majority of Dalit settlements were located only 1.5&nbsp;km from rivers, canals and the sea and most primary health centres were located in dominant caste neighbourhoods and were, on average, three km from Dalit settlements.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Dalits suffered more than others in flood-hit Cuddalore: Report |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/dalits-suffered-more-than-others-in-flood-hit-cuddalore-report/story-TQfazyjyzWfD2tUjZ6qJyM.html|access-date=7 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=7 December 2015}}</ref>

===Criticism of AIADMK===
The [[AIADMK]] received heavy public criticism following reports of party workers pasting photographs of party leader and Tamil Nadu chief minister [[Jayalalithaa]] on relief materials, erecting banners and posters praising her, allegedly halting relief shipments en route to Chennai to paste her photos on relief packages and threatening volunteers. These incidents were reported mostly in Chennai and Cuddalore.<ref>{{Cite web|author=dna Web Team |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-chennai-floods-relief-materials-allegedly-being-allowed-only-after-carrying-jayalalithaa-stickers-2152334 |title=Chennai floods: AIADMK denies allegations of relief materials being allowed only after carrying Jayalalithaa stickers & Updates at Daily News & Analysis |work=Daily News and Analysis |date=5 December 2015 |access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=As Chennai battles floods, 'Amma' Jayalalithaa makes appearance as Sivagami of Bahubali|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/tamil-nadu/jayalalithaas-bahubali-like-poster-emerges-amid-heavy-flooding-in-chennai-see-pic_1830317.html|access-date=5 December 2015|work=Zee News|date=4 December 2015|location=Chennai}}</ref> In one incident caught on video and widely broadcast on Tamil television, an AIADMK functionary mouthing expletives and accompanied by henchmen was seen intimidating volunteers from Bengaluru who were preparing food in Anna Nagar for distribution to flood-affected people; the cadre demanded 2,000 relief packets so he could be seen distributing them.<ref name="cadre">{{Cite news|last=Naig|first=Udhav|title=AIADMK cadre confronts volunteers distributing relief |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/aiadmk-cadre-confront-volunteers-distributing-relief/article7959682.ece|access-date=9 December 2015|work=The Hindu|date=8 December 2015}}</ref> The party also released a poem on social media praising Jayalalithaa despite near-universal condemnation of government relief efforts.<ref name="paen">{{Cite news|title=AIADMK sings paeans to Amma, rivals slam timing |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/AIADMK-sings-paeans-to-Amma-rivals-slam-timing/articleshow/50069312.cms|access-date=9 December 2015|work=The Times of India|date=7 December 2015}}</ref>

In response to the mounting criticism, an AIADMK party official said the media was distorting events and attempting to smear the party before the upcoming assembly elections; however, he promised the party would take strict action against those obstructing relief work.<ref name="cadre"/> CPI (Marxist) leader U Vasuki said, "The whole state is in crisis. This is not the right time to shower praise. Moreover, the state [government] has not done anything commendable to [merit] praise [of its] relief efforts. The timing of such propaganda is shocking."<ref name="paen"/>

===Media controversies===
In Tamil Nadu, partisan television channels associated with the ruling [[AIADMK]] and the opposing [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam|DMK]] political parties were criticised for using the disaster for their own political purposes. Also, several claimed that the political parties obstructed the flood relief efforts of the volunteers for their own gains.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tamil Nadu floods: Parties score points through TV reports |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/tamil-nadu-floods-parties-score-points-through-tv-reports/story-lCQcZwo3NXQS8XCTPUc74J.html|access-date=18 November 2015|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=18 November 2015}}</ref> National media outlets were widely criticised on social media for failing to adequately report on the flood crisis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/chennaifloods-social-media-users-slam-news-media-poor-flood-coverage-657747 |title=#ChennaiFloods: Social media users slam news media for poor flood coverage |publisher=Ibtimes.co.in |date=2 December 2015 |access-date=14 January 2016}}</ref> On 2 December, the government Press Information Bureau (PIB) released an edited photo showing the Prime Minister looking down from an aircraft window which was removed after criticism.<ref name="mockery">{{Cite news|title=Chennai floods: Edited Modi photo sparks online mockery|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34991822|access-date=4 December 2015|publisher=BBC News|date=4 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=PIB 'regrets' modifying PM Modi's Chennai aerial survey photo|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/pib-regrets-manipulating-pm-s-chennai-aerial-survey-photo/story-wxzy28bYKXllOIK3mtueBL.html|access-date=4 December 2015|work=Hindustan Times|date=4 December 2015}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|25em}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline|November 2015 South Indian floods}}

{{Natural disasters in India}}
{{Disasters in India in 2015}}
{{Major Cities of Andhra Pradesh}}

{{Chennai topics}}
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