By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter


Many Qatar residents from south Indian city of Chennai  are worried about the welfare of their near and dear ones after incessant rains have flooded most parts of the metropolis.
Since the forecast is for more rains for the next four days the country’s Chennaites are praying for better weather to return fast.
Most of those who this newspaper contacted said they have not been able to contact their family members as communication channels have been disrupted since Tuesday evening. “Since yesterday evening (Tuesday) I could not contact anyone who is known to me in Chennai,” said Raju Ranjan who has been in Qatar for 20 years.
He said he could not contact his brother in law who runs a shop in Ariyaloor but to no avail.
Ranjan said in Qatar there are several fishermen from Cudalloor and its neighbourhoods, which are as badly affected as Chennai. Inquiries with some of the fishermen from the area, who live in Wakrah, found the entire community is worried about the developments back home.
“It is the  first time since the deadly tsunami in December 2004 that we are becoming so worried about the safety of our kith and kin,” said Siva Perumal, a fisherman, who comes from Cudalloor.
Perumal complained that flooding in Cudalloor is worse than Chennai but not even  Tamil television channels or any other media has any information on the precarious conditions there.
Ramachandran Annadurai, an electrical communication engineer from Chennai, is working round the clock in the local community to help his friends establish contacts with their dear ones in the flood-hit areas. Annadurai managed to contact a few of those stranded in Chennai. They were moved to safer locations last night, he said.
Raja Murugan, an office-bearer of Qatar Indian Tamizhar Munnettra Sangam, said despite his best efforts he could not locate some of his close friends since Tuesday evening.  “Maybe electrical lines are affected and hence people are unable to charge their mobiles,” he said while adding that he had talked to a friend outside Chennai who said there is shortage for drinking water and milk since yesterday morning.
Doha residents who have their houses in Anna Nagar, Velachery, St Thomas Mount and its surroundings, Adayar and T Nagar too have raised similar complaints.
Another person, identified as Ramachandran Vel Murugan, said his daughter studying at a private university in Chennai informed that their hostel authorities had moved inmates to the fifth floor of the building. The university has children of many Doha-based parents. Page 27