The heavy rainfall during the annual northeast monsoon in November–December 2015 that lashed Chennai and Kancheepuram districts has resulted in the flooding of Okkiyam Maduvu. The flood waters from some of the suburbs of Chennai like Velachery, Pallikaranai, Medavakkam has drained into Pallikaranai Wetland and subsequently into Okkiyam Maduvu. Since the Buckingham Canal is already overflowing because of excess drainage from Adyar river, the outflow of flood waters from the Okkiyam Maduvu was slow and had to travel 16 kilometers long to reach the Bay of Bengal near Mutthukadu, and thereby resulting in submerging of a few roads and partial submerging of a few buildings surrounding the channel.[2]
Flood Protection Scheme:
The Government of Tamil Nadu has emphasised the need to find a long-term solution to tackle the issue of flooding by ordering a detailed investigation to have a regulated canal (straight cut) direct to the sea from the Buckingham Canal area adjoining the Okkiyam Maduvu.[3]
