Chennai: Ten lives were lost and the entire southern region of Tamil Nadu was paralyzed due to the unprecedented rainfall that resulted in countless individuals, families, and even a train full of people being stranded for several days.
The state government, assisted by the armed forces, is engaged in a massive rescue and relief operation in the southern Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts ravaged by the very severe extreme rainfall on Sunday. Many villages which remain swamped by flood waters remain out of reach.
While road connectivity has been restored in Tirunelveli city and certain adjoining areas, Thoothukudi remains cut off with flight services too being suspended. Train services in this sector have been put on hold since tracks at several locations have been either breached or underwater. India Air Force (IAF) choppers have been pressed into service for rescue and to airdrop food packets and drinking water to people stranded at inaccessible places.
It was a torrential downpour never witnessed in recent memory and the state government has geared up to meet the extraordinary situation. Many places recorded rainfall above 40 cm on a single day with Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi district registering 95 cm. Besides the rains, the heavy discharge of 1.25 lakh cusecs of water into the Tamiraparani river had brought the two districts under a sheet of water. Power supply is yet to be restored in many parts since the flood is yet to recede.
Chief Minister MK Stalin, ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the night (Tuesday), has said that the state required Rs 7,033 crore for immediate relief and another Rs 12,659 crore for permanent sustainable measures. Further, he has requested Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to deploy more helicopters and personnel from the armed forces considering the enormity of the situation.
“A total of 130 personnel including police and SDRF as well as 168 armed forces personnel are engaged in the mammoth task. So far 17,000 people have been rescued and put in the 160 temporary shelters. Over 34,000 food packets besides 13,500 by the 9 IAF choppers were distributed on Tuesday. Further, provisions in 40000 trucks are being sent to the districts from other places. For rescue operations, 323 boats have been pressed into service and 50 more are to arrive from Ramanathapuram district,” State Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena told the media in Chennai.
While Tirunelveli accounted for seven deaths, it was three in Thoothukudi. “The exact loss of lives would be known only after the water receded,” he said, adding that damage to properties, standing crops, and livestock is yet to be ascertained. Damage to agriculture is said to be extensive in Tenkasi district as well. Heartrending visuals of people having lost their lifelong savings and shepherds searching for the surviving ones amid those deceased sheep are doing the rounds on social media.
Rescue personnel reached out to the more than 500 passengers of Tiruchendur Express, stranded at Srivaikuntam since late Sunday evening. Even on Monday evening, IAF helicopters could not reach the station due to inclement weather and the station as well as the surrounding areas was marooned. According to reports, all the passengers were taken by road to Vanchi Maniyachi station from where they were put up in a special train to Chennai. Braving the flood waters, locals too stepped in and supplied food to the stranded passengers. In separate incidents, a pregnant woman and few others were rescued and sent to Madurai for further medical care. According to officials, the relief efforts would be stepped up once the situation improved. With rains having stopped, it is expected that normalcy could be restored in a few days.
Also read: IAF deploys Dhruv helicopters for rescue operations in rain-hit areas in Tamil Nadu
