In the last three weeks the northeast monsoon has brought Chennai and its surrounding districts a deluge of biblical proportions in several phases. The result was catastrophic for Chennai and neighbouring districts of South Arcot (especially Cuddalore town), Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Tirunelveli, and others. The full extent of the misery wrought by the rain will become clear only in coming days but the bare figures for precipitation should give an idea. On December 1-2, the sou