For the people in Chennai, Cyclone Vardah is yet another natural disaster that has made life a challenge. People tell us that the situation in the city is not as bad as last year’s flooding in Chennai, but that things are definitely bad. However, this time around, what’s happening in Chennai is having a more immediate impact on the rest of the country as well, as Internet services are having difficulties thanks to the cyclone. This means that you could be sitting in Mumbai trying to pay online with your card, only to realise that the transaction is not taking place, or your card might not be accepted when you try and swipe it at a restaruant in Delhi.
Of course, the situation is even worse in Chennai, where many telecom and Internet providers have had their services completely disrupted, and there have been long power cuts too. However, at a time when many of us are still queueing up for long durations to get a single Rs. 2000 note from an ATM, any disruption in online transactions is also a big issue.
