Cost of Chennai floods to businesses seen exceeding 150b rupees

New Delhi

AS the flood-ravaged Indian city of Chennai got some respite from torrential rains, a trade body said losses to businesses from the record downpour could reach more than 150 billion rupees (S$3.16 billion).

Water released from overflowing lakes and reservoirs wreaked havoc across a vast swathe of the metropolis of nine million and surrounding areas, with the monsoon season's death toll climbing to 269.