Heavy rains in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu and a key electronics manufacturing hub in India, have forced Taiwan’s Foxconn and Pegatron to pause their Apple iPhone production at factories near the city.
What Happened? The downpour, leading to the death of at least four people, has caused widespread disruption including a submerged airport runway and extensive flooding. The city is currently preparing for Cyclone Michaung, expected to hit Andhra Pradesh’s coast with winds up to 110kph.
Foxconn, with around 35,000 employees at its Tamil Nadu facility, remains uncertain about resuming operations on Tuesday.
Cautious moves only: This pause in production marks the second recent disruption for Pegatron, following a temporary shutdown caused by a fire in September. The intense rainfall has led to power outages and knee-deep water in several areas, reminiscent of the devastating floods in December 2015 that claimed around 290 lives.
Authorities are taking precautionary measures, evacuating thousands from coastal regions and advising fishermen against sea ventures. Apple, Foxconn, and Pegatron have yet to publicly comment on the situation.
(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Benzinga)
