Ravichandran Ashwin © AFP
Ravichandran Ashwin © AFP

Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, who is currently involved in the fourth and final Test against South Africa in the ongoing Gandhi-Mandela Series 2015, was finally able to contact his parents after 24 hours because of the devastating floods in Chennai. The fourth Test began at Delhi on Thursday and he took the field without having spoken to his parents, and even scored a vital half-century for India in their first innings, which helped them to post 334 runs in the first innings and put the opponents in tremendous pressure. But according to IANS, heavy rains battered Chennai again on Friday evening just as life began to limp to normalcy amid persisting power cuts and food shortages here and three other Tamil Nadu districts where floods and downpour have claimed 325 lives. Live Cricket Scorecard: India vs South Africa 2015, 4th Test at Delhi

When Ashwin walked out to bat for India in the first innings with the team tottering at 198 for seven, his wife Prithi posted a tweet which revealed that the star Indian cricketer — who has played a decisive role in his team’s win in the ongoing series — has not been able to contact his parents in Chennai.

Ashwin too had taken to Twitter to express his thoughts on the relentless rains that caused floods in Chennai, but did not say anything about his parents. It is very likely that when Ashwin posted his first tweet on the Chennai floods, he had not been in touch with his parents.

It was Ashwin’s wife Prithi who revealed about the cricketer not being able to contact his parents. She wrote:

Prithi then posted the address where Ashwin’s parents could have been, and also tweeted when it was discovered that they were safe amid the mayhem that has struck Chennai.

Thousands of military personnel and social activists were engaged in a major operation of supplying food, water and blankets to thousands trapped in water-logged neighbourhoods — and rescuing the still marooned, IANS report added. The prices of daily products went high many folds, as understandably there was a shortage, but Ashwin opposed it.

 

There was relief as water levels in the main reservoirs and rivers began to fall. But numerous areas were still under water, residents across the city told IANS. The rains have caused widespread destruction in the districts of Chennai, Cuddalore, Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur in Tamil Nadu. By all accounts, the state capital bore the brunt. Officials said they expected the death toll to rise once the water levels go down, revealing drowned bodies.