Over 150 residents of Bharathi Nagar in Ramanathapuram in the city today came to the streets to protest against the failure of the Corporation. They alleged that it had failed to take necessary steps to prevent rain and drain water from entering their houses, which had resulted due to the incessant rains of the last four days.

The residents, a majority of them women, squatted on the road near Olympus, blocking traffic around 8.30 a.m.

Heavy rains had submerged most of the lying areas across the city, due to overflowing of waters from choked drains. The rains water, mixed with drainage, entered nearly 200 houses in Bharathi Nagar last night. Residents spent almost the whole night trying to flush out the water, they lamented.

Despite requests from police, who rushed to the spot, the residents continued the road blockade, following which police took away some 50 persons in a van. However, more residents joined the protestors, forcing the Corporation officials to reach the scene, police said.

The officials managed to convince them that immediate steps would be taken to flush out the dirty water that had entered the houses, after which the residents dispersed.

Traffic was affected for nearly an hour.