Central team likely to visit rain-hit districts in Tamil Nadu on Dec 20

As many as 10 people have lost their lives in the record rainfall that occurred on December 17 and 18, wreaking havoc in several parts of Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari districts.

An inter-ministerial central team is likely to visit Tamil Nadu on December 20 to assess the damage caused by unprecedented flooding and rainfall in four southern districts over the last two days.

Chief Minister MK Stalin who was supposed to inspect the flood-hit regions today, would visit on December 21, the government said.

As many as 10 people have lost their lives in the record rainfall that occurred on December 17 and 18, wreaking havoc in several parts of Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari districts.

Kayalpattinam (a municipality in the Tuticorin district) received the highest amount of 1,192 mm of rain in two days while Tiruchendur received 916 mm.CM Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on December 19 and sought an interim relief of Rs 2,000 crore for rain-battered districts to bolster ongoing rescue efforts.

Ahead of his meeting with the PM, Stalin told reporters that he would visit Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts on December 20. However, an official release issued on December 19 night said as local administrations were expected to be present in the affected districts owing to the central team’s visit on December 20, the Chief Minister would arrive in Madurai tonight. He is expected to visit Tuticorin on December 21, the release said.

The central and state government agencies, including Army, Navy, Air Force, National Disaster Response Force, and SDRF are currently engaged in relief and rehabilitation works. Nine helicopters along with 323 boats were also involved in the rescue operation.

Meanwhile, the Southern Railway has cancelled nearly 19 trains due to waterlogging in the rain-affected districts today while rail traffic through Tirunelveli attained normalcy after the Tirunelveli yard was declared fit for train movement.

The local administrations of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin, the worst affected districts, are taking all measures to ensure the supply of essentials while electricity connections to residences and commercial establishments are expected to be completely restored in a day or two.