India: There has been total disconnect between hydrology and urban planning in the Indian city of Chennai which is currently experiencing floods. Chennai-based research institute Care Earth has suggested that the city is historically a flood plain. However, the conversion of wetlands into lands for residential and commercial purposes has led to impervious surfaces that increase the runoff and create water logging in absence of proper drainage. These Google Earth images show the urban jungles are responsible for the floods.
UTHANDI
Indian Maritime University, Uthandi: This university is coming up in a flat sandy area, which is part of a floodplain on the western side of the Buckingham Canal and Kovalam Creek at Uthandi. While the picture above was taken in 2002, the image below shows the same area in 2015.
CHEMBARAMBAKKAM
Chembarambakkam: Here, auto manufacturers and their suppliers have populated hydrologically sensitive catchment areas with their factories. The image above was taken in 2002, while the picture below is from 2015.
ORAGADAM
Oragadam: The image from 2006, above, shows water bodies, paddy lands and forests, while the 2014 version below shows the auto factories of Renault Nissan, Daimler Benz and Ford.
VELACHERY
Velachery: Above, what you see, is the area from 2000. This was before the Chennai Mass Rapid Transit System and the explosion of construction. The image below is from this year.
SIRUSERI
Siruseri: In the image from 2002, above, you can see Siruseri as the converging point for floodwaters from two drainage systems entering the Kovalam creek. The 2015 image, below, shows how IT industries have come up here with the help of State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu.
