Tamil Nadu Timeline

EnvironmentContemporary Tamil Nadu

Chennai water crisis

· Chennai

After a failed monsoon, Chennai's main reservoirs dried up, forcing heavy reliance on tankers and water brought by train from Jolarpet.

Weak north-east monsoon rains in 2018 left Chennai's four main reservoirs almost empty by June 2019. Residents, hotels and businesses faced acute shortages and long queues for tanker water. The government brought water by train from Jolarpettai in Vellore district from July 2019. The crisis drew international attention to groundwater depletion and the loss of urban water bodies.

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