PHOTOS: Army, navy come to the rescue as rains pound Chennai

The army and the navy on Wednesday came to the rescue of hundreds of people severely hit by heavy rains in Chennai that have left several parts of the city submerged.

Even as the state is being lashed with torrential rainfall, with weather department officials describing it as the worst rainfall in 100 years, army and naval troops have already answered the calls for help and rushed in to save stranded people.

Here is a look of some of the heroes. 

Besides rushing in with rescue teams, the armed forces have also launched UAVs to get an assessment of the situation. Photograph: Twitter

On being requisitioned by the state government, two columns of army's flood rescue and relief teams comprising troops from the Garrison Infantry Battalion and Engineer elements were activated and have begun their operations in Tambaram, Mudichur, Manipakam, Guduvancheri and Urapakkam areas of Chennai since Tuesday evening. Photograph: Indian Navy.

At about 11 pm on Tuesday, an army column was able to rescue about 15 trapped civilians in a bus affected by flood waters. The rescue teams have till 11 am on Wednesday succeeded in rescuing and bringing over 50 marooned civilians to safety in Gudvancheri and Mudichur.

A third army rescue column was put into service on Wednesday morning. Another column is being rushed in from Bengaluru by road, an army statement said. Photograph: Indian Navy

Additional army resources are being mobilised for providing assistance to the flood-affected areas. Meanwhile, the navy too has chipped in with three teams.

One team comprising 20 sailors (five divers and 15 good swimmers) with Gemini boats and associated gears were deployed on Tuesday night to Gandhi Nagar near Adyar bridge. Team returned on Wednesday after rescuing 15 stranded personnel.

Team two consisting of one officer, 16 sailors (four divers and 12 good swimmers), two Geminis and 250 food packets was deputed on Wednesday morning at RDO Office, Tambaram upon the state government's request. Photograph: Twitter

The team was directed to report to the tourism secretary designated as the monitoring officer, navy sources said. Photograph: Twitter

Team three from Rajali consisting of two officers, 50 sailors and 200 packets was deployed today to RDO Tambaram office for central flood relief operation thereafter. Photograph: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter

Additional boats were being deployed to the RDO Office, Tambaram for use by Rajali flood relief team. INS Chetlat on Palkbay patrol responded to a distress call to rescue a missing fishing vessel on Tuesday evening and it was detected in the night with total loss of propulsion and power generation.

The fishing vessel was towed to Rameswaram and arrived at the jetty on Wednesday early morning. Photograph: @SpokespersonMoD/Twitter