Chennai: Rain related inundation claimed the lives of two young girls all of eight years each in Chennai on Wednesday afternoon when they stepped on a live electricity cable submerged in water at their resident in Kodungaiyur locality of Perambur is North Chennai.

Theirs was a locality that was inundated in the day long incessant rain in different parts of Chennai and coastal Tamil Nadu as predicted by the met office. Northeast monsoon manifested in third straight day of heavy to heavy rain in coastal Tamil Nadu.

Residents in the locality rushed to rescue the girls but they died even before they could reach the hospital. They also held a protest against the apathy of the electricity board workers, who left the cable wire open that claimed the lives of these two girls.

The government announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each to the parents of the children, which the opposition alleged was very little.

The government is responsible for the deaths, said rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran.

Kamal Haasan too got into the act to say that compassion shown by the government was inadequate.

State power minister P Thangamani declared that no one guilty will be spared.

Schools were closed for the second straight day today as heavy to very heavy rain pounded Chennai and adjoining areas. For the 24 hours ending today 8:30am areas near Chengalpet received 100mm rains and Chennai averaged 40 mm rain.

Overnight rain caused water logging in several areas of the city.

Areas of Vyasarpadi, Perambur, Choolai and Otteri in North Chennai, West Anna Nagar in Central Chennai and few areas in south Chennai were inundated with the day’s rain. Mudichur in suburban Chennai was totally submerged and people there had difficulty in coming out of their houses.