The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Commissioner G.S. Sameeran has directed officials to expedite ongoing civic works and initiate pending projects during a review meeting at the Ripon Buildings.

Assessing Northeast monsoon precautionary measures on Saturday, the Commissioner ordered the desilting of stormwater drains, improvement of canals, and the pruning of precarious tree branches. As of July 15, GCC has constructed 1,016.25 kilometres (km) of stormwater drains against a target of 1,126 km, at an estimated cost of ₹5,127.40 crore. The civic body has removed 16,270 metric tonnes (MT) of silt and water hyacinth from major canals using amphibian vehicles and robotic excavators. Further, 68,281 of the city’s 1,09,975 silt catch pits have been cleaned.

Officials were instructed to maintain the readiness of high-capacity motor pumps, 215 relief centres, and community kitchens. The session evaluated the progress of infrastructure initiatives at the detailed project report and tender stages, including urban primary health centres, modern bus shelters, gig workers’ resting facilities, integrated sports complexes, and the restoration of 49 ponds completed at an estimated ₹214.02 crore. Directives were also issued to initiate strict action against unauthorised constructions and the commercial utilisation of residential buildings.

Floods and rain-induced landslips claimed six human lives across Assam and Meghalaya over the last 48 hours, taking the death toll in the northeastern region to at least 25 since the last week of June.

The flood situation in Assam worsened on Monday (July 20, 2026), affecting 3.63 lakh people across 16 districts in the eastern, central, western, and southern parts of the State. Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said five people died—three men and two girls—in Jorhat and Karbi Anglong districts.

“A total of 794 villages are inundated, and a total crop area of 19099.59 hectares has been affected. More than 34,900 people have been shifted to relief camps across the 16 districts,” an ASDMA spokesperson said.

“Five rivers—Brahmaputra, Buridihing, Dikhou, Disang, and Dhansiri—are flowing above the danger level at some places. Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Jorhat are the worst-hit districts with a total of 3.13 lakh people affected,” she said.

CM says govt. departments are on high alert

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he instructed four of his Cabinet colleagues to visit the flood-affected districts and oversee rescue and relief operations.

“I have directed officials to ensure adequate food grain supplies across all flood-affected areas. Every department has been placed on high alert and is working in coordination to minimise the impact of the floods,” he said.

The Chief Minister’s Office said rescue and relief operations were underway in the affected areas. In Sivasagar, 510 people were safely rescued by the State Disaster Response Force and the Fire and Emergency Services. Additional boats and Army helicopters were deployed to reach inaccessible areas during rescue operations.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said the overflowing Dikhow River and severe flooding in and around Simaluguri town in Sivasagar district have affected operations in the eastern half of Assam.

“The floodwaters have inundated the Simaluguri station yard, railway tracks, railway colony, and adjoining areas. Water has also overtopped the railway track in the Simaluguri section,” NFR’s chief spokesperson Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said.

More rainfall likely

According to the India Meteorological Department, the rainfall activity is expected to continue across the State over the next two days.

Meanwhile, a rain-induced landslip killed a child in a village under the Mawhati Assembly constituency of Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district. Road links to several other parts of the State have been cut off, officials said.

In Nagaland, the Konyak Union said the death toll in Sunday’s landslips in Mon town rose to nine. The union, the apex body of the Konyak Naga community, urged the government to declare an emergency in Mon district following widespread devastation caused by incessant monsoon rain.

The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority warned of widespread thunderstorms and intermittent rainfall in the State over the next four days.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio visited Mon on Monday to assess the conditions on the ground. He met with community leaders and reviewed restoration work. He also conducted an aerial survey of Tizit and Tuli, which were also affected.

In June, at least five people died in flash floods caused by a cloudburst in Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor district.

The State Highways Department has opened nine swanky bus shelters on the widened Chittoor-Cuddalore Highway in Tiruvannamalai town to help devotees commute easily to the Arunachaleswara temple, especially during Karthigai Deepam festival season.

Officials of State Highways, which maintains the stretch, said that of the total 205 kms between Chittoor and Cuddalore, the stretch was widened into four lanes for a distance of 19.5 kms in Tiruvannamalai district in 2023. As part of basic amenities, 24 bus stops were created on the stretch.

Despite buses halting at the bus stops, commuters had to wait in the open due to the lack of shelters. “With the onset of Northeast monsoon, new shelters at these bus stops will help commuters, including women and senior citizens, to board buses safely. Adequate safety measures in the new facility especially during night should be made,” said B. Vasanthi, a commuter.

On an average, 40,000 vehicles use the stretch every day. The widened road has a 15-metres-wide carriageway, a 1.2 metre-wide median and a 1.5 metre-wide storm water drains on both the sides, LED streetlights, a tiled footpath, a rainwater harvesting system and native trees. After TNSTC vehicles, buses from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka also use the stretch to reach pilgrim centres in Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Puducherry.

Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu inaugurated new bus shelters in the presence of Deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, K. Pitchandi, and Tiruvannamalai MP C.N. Annadurai.

Highways officials said that new bus shelters were built at a cost of ₹1.35 crore. Each shelter has seating arrangements, LED lights, digital display of bus number and routes, CCTV cameras and a complaint box. The new facility will be maintained by Tiruvannamalai Corporation and village panchayats on the route.

 

The State Highways Department has accelerated the desilting of a key canal near Tiruvannamalai town to prevent flooding of the temple town during Northeast monsoon, especially the Karthigai Deepam festival season.

Officials of State Highways, which maintains the canal, said that the excess rainwater from Samuthiram tank, which is maintained by Tiruvannamalai Corporation, gets discharged into the canal before falling into Thurunjal river, a tributary of Then Pennai river. The desilting work of the canal is being done after many years. “Desilting will prevent the inundation of tail-end areas of the Corporation (Tiruvannamalai) during the monsoon. The temple town will be free from waterlogging,” S. Anbarasu, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), State Highways, told The Hindu.

Minister for Public Works and Highways E.V. Velu inspected the ongoing desilting work with Tiruvannamalai Collector K. Tharpagaraj and Corporation Commissioner S. Selva Balaji. “Houses in the low-lying areas of the town are prone to waterlogging. Such desilting work of key waterbodies will help to prevent inundation in these areas,” said K. Sampath, a resident.

Highways’ officials said the existing canal runs between Samuthiram tank and Outer Bypass Road, a distance of five kms. The canal is around 10 ft deep whereas its width varies between 15 ft and 22 ft as it navigates along the arterial road and paddy fields.

As part of the work, loads of silt that got deposited in the canal were removed for the past few weeks. Bunds of the canal were strengthened. The original width and depth of the waterbody have been restored. Currently, the desilting work has been completed for a distance of 4.2 kms on the route. The entire work will be completed in the coming weeks. On its part, Tiruvannamalai Corporation has desilted its stormwater drain, which runs for 103 kms, to discharge excess rainwater from the Arunachala Hill. Depth and length of drains vary from 3 ft to six ft and two ft to five ft, respectively, depending on total available road space, civic officials said.

Residents said that areas like Rathabai Nagar, Sernapoondi Nagar, Keel Anaikarai, Nallavanpalayam and Thenmathur within Corporation limits were inundated during the 2024 floods. During last year’s rain, affected families were shifted to temporary shelters in the town before rain water receded from the houses.