Cyclone and Flooding in Tamil Nadu

The north-east monsoon often results in flooding in Chennai.
www.flickr.com user yashima.

As if the terrorist attacks in Mumbai aren't awful enough, disaster is also being experienced over the other side of India. A cyclone by the name of Nisha has been lashing the east coast of Tamil Nadu since Wednesday, bringing strong wind, heavy rain and flooding to many places, including the state capital of Chennai.

Tragically, around 100 people are believed to have been killed and thousands have been left homeless by the floods. There's also a high risk of an outbreak of water-borne diseases, as sewerage has mixed with stagnant floodwater in many areas.

It's a terrible thing that Chennai and Tamil Nadu are all too familiar with the destruction wreaked by cyclones and flooding. The north-east monsoon, which is currently being experienced there, is known to produce very intense weather patterns.