Plastic mats, mosquito repellent, bed sheets, blankets and tarps are urgently required, say volunteers with Chennai Rain Relief 2015, a group of organisations and residents working together in the wake of the flooding.
The group, which has organised over 10,000 meals so far, has been working in various parts of the city as well as in Kancheepuram. “This week, we were planning to conduct field-level analyses, talk to the Chennai Corporation, and assess the long-term needs of people who have been affected by the rain. However, after Monday’s rain, we will be focusing on immediate relief again,” said Aarti Madhusudan, a volunteer.
Some of the suburbs including Kolathur and parts of north Chennai are still inundated and relief material is still required. Residents can donate at various points in the city, said Lata Subramaniam, programme officer, Bhoomika Trust, one of the organisations involved.
Meanwhile, some residents are unhappy as a few of the relief camps that were operating out of Corporation schools, were being shut down, said Ramiah Ariya, a volunteer with Arappor Iyakkam, another organisation working in rain relief. “About 165 families who were at the Old Perungalathur relief camp and 150 families from the Sholinganallur relief camp were asked to leave as of Sunday.
Volunteers who were planning to assess long-term needs of the affected will be focussing on immediate relief after the rain
