Updated September 2026: in 2018 I recalled the third day of the 2015 Chennai floods, charging devices from my car and then from the apartment gym's backup power, while the water rose to the parking area. I have rewritten it into advice on finding power during a long outage.
I spent the day walking around the apartment block. To charge my phone, I started my car and charged as much as I could. I sensed panic among the residents and avoided conversations to stay calm. In the evening I found the building was running backup power to common areas, and I could charge my MacBook Pro in the gym, then charge my other two devices from its USB ports. Late that evening I walked out again, hoping the water had dropped enough to drive to my home town. It had risen further and was reaching the parking area. My only companions were my iPod Touch and around 20 Tintin comics.
Where can you find power in a long outage?
- Building backup: common areas, lifts and gyms often have generator or inverter power.
- Your car: a USB port or inverter, used with care.
- Power banks: charged before the storm.
- Neighbours with inverters: share and take turns.
Is it safe to charge from a car?
Only in open air, never in an enclosed garage, because of exhaust fumes. Keep the engine running only as long as needed, and watch fuel levels. Do not start or use a car in flooded parking, where water can damage the engine and electrics.
How do you charge several devices from one?
A laptop can charge a phone through its USB port while plugged in, as I did. Charge the most important device first, and keep one fully charged as a reserve.
What does rising water in the parking area mean?
That leaving by car is getting riskier, and cars left in basements may be damaged. Move vehicles to higher ground early if you can, and do not try to drive through deep or moving water.
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