Kamal Haasan requests fans to extend help amid Chennai flood alert as his 'birthday gift'

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Sunday appealed to his fans to reach out to the needy in Chennai after authorities sounded a preliminary flood alert in the Tamil Nadu capital following heavy rains.

The authorities sounded the alert to people as two city reservoirs -- Chembarambakkam and Puzhal, that serve as important sources of drinking water to the Chennai city -- would be opened to let out surplus rain water.

Haasan, who turned 67 on Sunday, asked his admirers to help those affected by the rains.

''Dear friends, hurry up and help the poor people who are suffering from the floods. That could be the best birthday gift you can give me,'' the actor, who also heads the political party Makkal Needhi Maiam, tweeted in Tamil.

From Saturday morning, Chennai and several suburbs in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts witnessed intermittent rains and showers became non-stop since night that led to inundation in many areas, inconveniencing people. The state water resources authorities advised district collectors of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur to evacuate people living in low-lying areas and house them in safe locations.

On the work front, Haasan is currently hosting the fifth season of the reality TV series ''Bigg Boss Tamil'' and will be next seen in films like the Tamil action-thrillers ''Vikram'' and ''Indian 2''.