1 Dead in Tamil Nadu rain fury, flights, trains hit, schools shut

mangaloretoday.com/ndtv

Chennai, Dec 18, 2023: Extremely heavy rains unleashed floods across four districts of southern Tamil Nadu, disrupting normal life in Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts of the state. One person has died in the Tuticorin district and the state has asked the Air Force for help in the rescue missions and air-dropping of food.

 

Thiruchendur in the Tuticorin District witnessed 60 cm of rain in just 15 hours till 1:30 am. Palayamkottai in Tirunelveli District recorded 26 cm. Meanwhile, Kanyakumari saw 17.3 cm of rainfall.

A public holiday has been declared today in the affected districts due to the torrential rains. Schools, colleges, banks, private establishments and public sector firms will be shut.

Knee-to-waist-deep water submerged pockets of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Kanyakumari districts as water is released from Papanasam, Perunjani and Pechuparai dams. River Thamaraparani is in spate. The district collectors have been advised to ensure proper management of water in dams.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall today as well. A cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area is exacerbating the situation.

Chief Minister M K Stalin today deployed ministers and senior bureaucrats for relief and rescue operations, with a senior bureaucrat assigned to monitor each affected district. Mr Stalin also instructed District Collectors to keep relief centres and boats prepared in vulnerable areas and evacuate people early if required.

Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising 50 members each have rushed to Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts, while three State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed in Kanyakumari district. Additional boats have been mobilised for regions such as Thoothukudi and the nearby towns of Srivaikundam and Kayalpattinam. As many as 7,500 people were evacuated and housed in 84 relief camps. Through the Common Alert Protocol, SMS alerts were sent to 62 lakh people.

In addition, 4,000 police personnel have been deployed in the affected districts.

Fishermen are strongly advised to avoid venturing into the sea at high windspeed, ranging from 40 to 55 km.

The floods in southern districts have struck even as Chennai and three adjoining districts are recovering after floods triggered by heavy rains cyclone Michuang brought as it crossed the region on the 3rd and 4th of this month.

Tuticorin-bound flights have been diverted or cancelled. Seventeen trains including the Vande Bharat train to and from Tirunelveli have been partially or fully cancelled. Southern Railway said traffic has been suspended in the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur section, between Srivaikuntam and Seydunganallur, as ’the ballast’ has been washed away and the track is ’hanging’ and water is flowing over the railway tracks. Several train services operated via the southern regions have been fully cancelled, some partially suspended and some trains have been diverted.