Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said that the state was taking efforts to rescue Tamils stranded in north India due to the floods. The Minister also announced helpline number 1070 if anyone from Tamil Nadu is caught in the calamity. The Minister said that if anyone from Tamil Nadu was caught in a north Indian calamity their relatives can inform the State Emergency Operations Center on telephone number 1070 for taking appropriate steps to rescue them.
In a statement, KKSSR Ramachandran said that 12 calls were received by State Emergency Operations Centre in Chennai. Efforts to help the stranded Tamils are underway under the guidance of Chief Minister MK Stalin.
The Minister said, "Following media reports on Amarnath pilgrims from Tamil Nadu stranded due to a landslide on their return, Tamil Nadu officials have contacted the officials of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and were informed that the road connecting Jammu and Amarnath via Pahalgam was closed for two days but reopened later."
“Steps are being taken to ensure the safe return of the Tamil pilgrims,” Ramachandran said, as per IANS.
The Minister said that 12 students who were on tour to Himachal Pradesh and stranded due to floods and landslides have reached Chandigarh.
The Minister said, "Immediately after complaints from the parents of these students were received, officials got in touch with the Himachal Pradesh Disaster Management Department as well as District Magistrates of Kullu and Mandi."
He claimed that although the tourists were housed safely, they were cut off from the outside world due to problems with the local telecommunications equipment.