Luke 21:25,26 NLT “And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”
At least 200,000 people in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu were driven from their homes after the heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years led to major flooding, according to published reports.
It’s the latest extreme weather to hit the region, which has been hammered by heavy rainfall. The BBC reported that floods have killed at least 188 people in Tamil Nadu in the past month.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported 200,000 people have been displaced by the floods, and meteorologists expected more than 40 inches of additional rainfall in the next 48 hours.
According to Reuters, weather experts say El Nino is partly at fault for the historic rainfall and widespread flooding, as the weather pattern caused India’s monsoon season to intensify. The United Nations has warned that this year’s El Nino looks be one of the three strongest in the past 65 years and could have significant impact on the world’s economy and food supplies.
The flooding has been particularly bad in the coastal capital city of Chennai, one of India’s most populous areas and a major player in its automobile industry. The Times of India reported the city’s flooded airport will be closed through Sunday and at least a dozen trains were cancelled.
One Chennai resident told the BBC that the latest deluge began Monday and hasn’t let up, producing two to three feet of water in some parts of the city.
The BBC reported that about 60 percent of the city’s neighborhoods lacked power on Wednesday. Reuters reported a hospital was running short on fuel for its generators and oxygen for its patients.
According to The Times of India, some residents who still had electricity and Internet were using social media to invite those affected by the floods into their homes as relief efforts continued.