Heavy Rains Batter South Tamil Nadu: 7,000 Evacuated, Trains Stranded; Armed Forces Join Rescue Efforts

Heavy showers swept southern districts of Tamil Nadu including Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Tenkasi districts, leaving several roads, bridges and many residential colonies submerged.

Following the downpour, three people were killed and three more are feared dead.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted that extremely heavy rainfall is likely to continue over southern Tamil Nadu on December 19.

As per an IMD bulletin, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall was recorded in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts and light to moderate rainfall at most places in southern Tamil Nadu.

Basic Amenities Disrupted

• Due to the rains, electricity supply was halted in advance in many areas.
• Mobile phone connectivity was hit in several regions and public transportation was completely affected.
• Road link was cut-off in several regions of southern Tamil Nadu following breaches in lakes and flooding.
• The storage in major dams and reservoirs in southern Tamil Nadu ranged between 80 and 100 per cent.

Train Passengers Stranded

• Due to floods, around 800 passengers travelling by trains were stranded at Srivaikuntam in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district.
• In another case,  passengers of an express train travelling to Chennai from the temple town of Tiruchendur were stranded for nearly 20 hours at Srivaikuntam, which is falls under the worst flood-hit region.
• Due to soil erosion, the ballast over which railway tracks were fixed firmly was washed away in Srivaikuntam.
• Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena informed media that the rains and flooding were unprecedented and the services of the Army, Navy and the Air Force have been requisitioned.

Rescue Efforts Amidst Flood-like Conditions

• Over 7,000 people were evacuated by authorities from residential colonies and were housed in relief centres, such as neighbourhood schools and marriage halls.
• Authorities said that rescue efforts in areas including Tirunelveli junction and Sindupoonthurai continue using boats. In Tirunelveli district, at least 36 villages were flooded as of now. In the flood-hit regions, food was provided to over 50,000 people.
• Disaster response force teams and Fire and Rescue Service and police personnel have been active in rescue and relief operations, which includes supply of food and drinking water.
• The Navy was involved in rescue operations in Tirunelveli. A helicopter from INS Parundu in Ramanathapuram rescued 17 stranded persons including two pregnant women.
• Also, another team from INS Kattabomman is also involved in rescue operations and they have rescued at least 25 people.
• The Coast Guard’s six disaster relief teams have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. Though rains subsided in Kanyakumari and other southern regions, there was no respite from flooding.
• Dry food materials are being taken from Air Force Station Sulur for distribution in affected areas. Food packets are set to be dropped in flood-hit areas, a Defence spokesperson said.

Effects of the Heavy Rains On Southern Towns

• In Tirunelveli town, a concrete house collapsed and submerged under water on the road.
• In the port city of Thoothukudi and nearby areas, trucks and other kinds of heavy vehicles were stranded following breaches in bunds of lakes and rains.

• Motorists parked their vehicles on over-bridges and entry and exits routes were flooded.
• At Seevalaperi and Meenakshipuram in Tirunelveli, residents huddled on the terrace of a few two-storied houses to save themselves.
• Over 100 houses at Nesavalar Colony in Nagercoil were inundated and residents were evacuated by the authorities and sent to relief centres.

CM Stalin Meets PM Modi For Rescue Efforts

On Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin arrived in Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss relief initiatives.

(with PTI inputs)