The calamity, however, has also brought out thousands of helping hands. On Tuesday, Chennai residents took to Twitter to offer their homes to strangers seeking shelter from the rain and floods. Images and videos celebrating helpful Samaritans were soon uploaded, like this video of a group of men forming a human chain to save another man from drowning after his bike skidded:
On Wednesday, help came forth from various quarters, from offers to distribute food to the opening up of public spaces for shelter.
Daily we can distribute 2000 packets of bread from salem to Chennai, is there anyone who can distribute it there. #ChennaiFloods
— Madhav (@mahesh10816) December 2, 2015
Mosques,temples & churches have opened their doors to everyone for shelter and food. #ChennaiFloods #SecularIndia @sanjayuvacha
— Veejay Sai (@veejaysai) December 2, 2015
AGS cinemas at OMR is ready to accommodate people who're stranded in OMR stretch #chennairains #Chennai #chennaifloods #chennairainshelp
— Venkat Ramakrishnan (@flyvenkat) December 2, 2015
Despite the breakdown of transport, some people made an effort to continue providing their regular services.
Our milk lady Radha in Chennai - been delivering for 25 years, and did not fail to show up this morning. pic.twitter.com/WrcCITS60e — Ramanathan S (@madarassi) December 2, 2015
The hashtag #ChennaiRainsHelp soon became a space for both seeking and offering help.
700 people are struggling without food in Nandambakkam Cantonment kalyana Mandapam.Pls help them #share #chennairainshelp
— Sheik Abdullah SSA (@Sheik_Abu_Ssa) December 2, 2015
I can recharge you phone..if anybody want please send me you mobile no..DM me or reply.. #ChennaiRainHelps — Chennai Help (@AapChorHain) December 1, 2015
#ChennaiRainsHelp Here's a crowd-sourced list of people offering to help with shelter: https://t.co/N72KatkchQ @sowmyarao_ #Chennai #flood
— Sivaraj Ambat (@sivarajTweets) December 1, 2015
#ChennaiRainsHelp Here's a crowd-sourced list of people offering to help with shelter: https://t.co/N72KatkchQ @sowmyarao_ #Chennai #flood
— Sivaraj Ambat (@sivarajTweets) December 1, 2015
#Rajinikanth sirs ragavendra wedding hall in kodambakkam now open for anyone who needs a shelter. Make use of it. #Chennairainshelp
— Troll Kollywood ;-) (@TKollywood) December 2, 2015
#ChennaiRainsHelp SRM University is accommodating ppl in their highrise buildings.Pls inform people stranded near GST road for safer move.
— lithya nagini (@mrcoolsfan) December 2, 2015
Animals were not forgotten.
For snake catching rescues, please contact wild life biologist Nishant at 98-45-018969. #Verified #ChennaiRainsHelp #ChennaiFloods
— Sheik Abdullah SSA (@Sheik_Abu_Ssa) December 2, 2015
Meanwhile, residents continued to tweet images of the severity of the flood situation in the city,
Saidapet bridge is about to drown completely by Adyar river water. #chennairain #chennaifloods pic.twitter.com/XowapfYkYp
— Naveen (@naveenarendran) December 2, 2015
Saidapet flyover inundated...Adyar river over flows #chennairains pic.twitter.com/3V5DXt6GFc
— Shabbir Ahmed (@Ahmedshabbir20) December 2, 2015
Mamallapuram Perumal temple submerged in water. But look at that snake safe on the head. #chennairains pic.twitter.com/1YuJvH2eFQ
— Vasu (@vasudevan_k) December 1, 2015
Just to make people realise the gravity of the situation #ChennaiRainsHelp pic.twitter.com/JZX0n9DIJn
— Shwetank (@SinbadJahazi) December 2, 2015
@BBCIndia right now. pic.twitter.com/akDbkiFQOo
— Sandeep Prabhakaran (@_iamsandeep) December 2, 2015
In the Kotturpuram area, stranded resident Ranvir Ranjit sent these images of the street outside his building to Scroll.in.