Natasha Shrivastav Chapter 1 – The Waters Rise Chennai woke to a city unrecognizable, drowned in the relentless aftermath of the heaviest monsoon the region had seen in decades. The Marina Beach, usually a sprawling stretch of sand dotted with morning walkers and street vendors, had become a surreal tableau of destruction. Waves, tinged with debris and refuse, lapped angrily at the submerged roads, while low-lying neighborhoods resembled shallow lakes, rooftops and treetops barely protruding above the rising water. Families huddled on makeshift rafts, carrying children and belongings, as emergency sirens wailed through the humid, rain-laden air. The government had…