Expats desperate to contact loved ones

Phone services largely wiped out, leaving many in the lurch

Indian expats in the UAE with loved ones in the flood-hit Indian city of Chennai are anxiously following developments through news and social media as many phone services in Chennai are down.

At least 188 people have died in floods caused by heavy incessant rains in Chennai during the past 30 days. A fresh spell of rain has also led to the cancellation of flights.

Indian army and disaster response officials are now trying to aid rescue and relief efforts.

Expats in the UAE said the biggest problem was not being able to get in touch with loved ones in Chennai.

Vijayan Nayar said he hasn’t spoken to his daughter who left for Bengaluru by road after Chennai airport was closed.

“She had said she will try to catch a flight to Dubai from Bengaluru instead of from Chennai. I am waiting to hear from her. Her mobile service is down,” he said.

Yesterday, flydubai and Emirates cancelled their Chennai service. A booking agent of flydubai said: “I’m not sure if [Thursday’s] flight will also be cancelled. It depends on the situation at Chennai airport.”

An Emirates spokesperson told Gulf News: “Emirates has cancelled all flights to Chennai (MAA) today [December 2], due to the closure of Chennai airport after heavy rains last night caused flooding.

“We apologise for the inconvenience and we are closely monitoring the situation.

“Passengers travelling to and from Chennai can contact their local Emirates office, Emirates Customer Service, or their travel agent for rebooking options.”

Another expat, Ramubhadran, said people from Chennai living in the UAE have formed WhatsApp groups to share developments.

“Not knowing if your loved ones are safe is the hardest part. What makes the situation worse is the fact you are so far away and unable to help. Landlines are almost completely out of service while only some mobile numbers are working — if they can get charged. The power is sporadic or out too,” Ramubhadran added.