By late morning, state capital Chennai had seen little or no rain for almost 24 hours. The government has set up 97 relief camps, which are currently providing food and shelter to an estimated 62,000 people. But local residents were still complaining bitterly that their homes remained inundated and help from the government was either very slow or entirely absent.
One woman told NDTV news channel that she was finally able to get on a rescue boat Friday, three days after the rains began to lash the city.
Scores of residents have formed groups to distribute aid — packets of food, bottled waters and even bed sheets — in worst-hit neighborhoods.
"What is heartwarming is that the people of Chennai are helping out," said Arun Ebenezer, who has been forced to stay with a friend for three days after rain began to beat down over the city on Tuesday.
On Friday, he planned to try and make his way home, but was unsure about how far he could go.
Power supply has been erratic since the city turned off electricity to prevent deaths by electrocution. Mobile and fixed phone networks have been sporadic. Thousands of people have taken to Twitter and other social media to reach out to friends and family.
Access to the region remained closed with the main airport and train station still flooded.
The Indian Meteorological Department on Friday scaled down a forecast for very heavy rains, but added that more rain or thunderstorms were likely.
(AP)
Indian army soldiers rescue a man from flood waters in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
People carry children on their shoulders and wade through flood waters in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
People use a water tank for floatation as they wade through flood waters in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
A man tries a bunch of balloons for floatation as people wade through flood waters in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
This Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, photo, shows a flooded view of the Chennai airport in Chennai, India. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes, schools and offices, and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
A man carries an elderly woman as she is rescued from a flooded area following heavy rains in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
An aerial view of the flooded cemetery in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
Volunteers rescue flood affected people on a country boat from a residential area in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
People with their children wade through flood waters in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
Houses are submerged in flood waters in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
People walk through a flooded street in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
Volunteers rescue flood affected people on a country boat from a residential area in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
Passengers who were stranded in Chennai due to the floods and rescued in an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft walk after the same landed at the Begumpet Air Force Station, in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
Flood affected people queue up for food in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
Indian army soldiers rescue flood affected people in Chennai, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
An Indian woman kisses a child as passengers who were stranded in Chennai due to the floods were rescued in an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft and brought to the Begumpet Air Force Station, in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
An Indian Air Fore officer talks to Indian woman Preethi Gupta, on wheel chair, as passengers who were stranded in Chennai due to the floods were rescued in an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft and brought to the Begumpet Air Force Station, in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
Passengers who were stranded in Chennai due to the floods and rescued in an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft walk after the same landed at the Begumpet Air Force Station, in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
This Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, photo, shows flooding near Madha Institute of Engineering and Technology in Chennai, India. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes, schools and offices, and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.
A man gestures as passengers who were stranded in Chennai due to the floods were rescued in an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft after the same landed at the Begumpet Air Force Station, in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their submerged homes and schools, offices and a regional airport shut for a second day Thursday.