Nov-Dec 2015: FLOOD IN CHENNAI, INDIA

In November and December of 2015, the capitol city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India, received 41.3 inches of rainfall, which is a record for the city since 1918.
Although the city typically receives annual monsoons during this time of year, it is speculated that the El Nino phenomenon produced unprecedented rainfall in the region.
December 1st, heavy rains began to flood the city of Chennai. As a result, schools were closed, examinations were postponed, the major newspaper The Hindu did not publish, and major public transportation, such as the airport and railways were closed. The very next day, on December 2nd, Chennai was declared a disaster zone
On December 22nd, the state government asked the central government for $4 billion for efforts towards a housing project for displaced people, to rebuild damaged infrastructures and roads, and for general rehabilitation of the region.
Currently, displaced residents were given $442 a year, and were rehoused in government housing.

Death and Injury

Final estimates indicate that nearly 500 people were killed due to flood-related causes, overcrowding the Chennai morgues and crematoriums with dead bodies
Nearly 1.8 million people were displaced from their homes in Chennai and other surrounding districts in Tamil Nadu.
3 million families had total or partial damage to their homes, and nearly 98,000 livestock animals had died in the floods as well.

Given the high death toll and the massive number of displaced people, it is very likely the mental health consequences will be great, and that many members of the Chennai community will develop PTSD.