Pregnant Woman Rescued By IAF From Tamil Nadu's Flood-Hit Thoothukudi, Delivers Baby

A pregnant woman had to be airlifted from flood-hit Thoothukudi. She delivered a baby boy in a government hospital in Madurai.

A 27-year-old woman, Anushiya Mayil, airlifted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from flood-hit Srivaikuntam in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, delivered a baby on Wednesday morning, as reported by ANI. Anushiya was rescued after her family sent an SOS message, and she was airlifted by an IAF rescue team to Madurai and admitted to the maternity ward at the Government Rajaji Hospital.

Southern Tamil Nadu faces severe flooding due to continuous downpours. In response, both the State and Central Governments mobilised extensive rescue and relief operations to aid those affected.

She had been stranded on a train near Srivaikuntam and was rescued by a helicopter on Tuesday. The next day the woman successfully delivered a healthy baby boy. Other stranded passengers were also rescued by Southern Railways and transported to Chennai via a special train, reported The Hindu.

IAF helicopters conducted relief operations, airdropping supplies in rain and flood-affected areas of Tamil Nadu. According to ANI, the Southern Air Command IAF Media Co-ordination Centre was quoted as saying, "Operating in inclement weather, IAF helicopters—Mi-17 V5 and ALH—have flown for more than 20 hours, air-dropping over 10 tons of relief material and evacuating stranded individuals, including women and children from rooftops and isolated areas."

The Indian Navy also participated in rescue operations in the southern part of the state. Ravi Kumar Dhingra, Commanding Officer of the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Naval Areas, mentioned that numerous stranded persons were rescued from southern Tamil Nadu during the operation.

INS Parundu's helicopter squadron played a crucial role, rescuing about 17 individuals, including three pregnant women. Navy personnel also provided food and relief materials at Srivaikuntam railway station in Thoothukudi.

Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari districts continue to bear the brunt of heavy rains' havoc.

On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and submitted a request petition. The petition sought the declaration of the damage caused by the Michaung storm and subsequent heavy rainfall in the southern districts as a national calamity, urging immediate allocation of a disaster relief fund.

Highlighting the unprecedented nature of the devastation, the TN CM emphasised that the heavy rains had caused damage unparalleled in the region's history over the past century.