Intense and unrelenting rainfall has wreaked havoc in four southern districts of Tamil Nadu, prompting Chief Minister M K Stalin's visit to Delhi to discuss relief initiatives with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The situation, described as unseen in recent times, has left three dead, three missing, and thousands displaced, news agency PTI reported.
Authorities have undertaken massive evacuation efforts, rescuing people stranded in residential colonies and relocating them to relief centres set up in schools and marriage halls. Over 7,000 individuals are currently housed in these facilities, as per PTI.
- Paddy fields, roads, and bridges are submerged, and numerous residential areas in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Tenkasi districts are underwater. The rainfall has disrupted electricity supply, mobile phone connectivity, and public transportation, severely impacting normal life.
- Chief Minister Stalin, arriving from Coimbatore, is set to discuss the dire rain and flood situation with Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday (December 19), PTI reported. The unprecedented nature of the rainfall has led to breaches in lakes, flooding, and disruption of road links in various regions of southern Tamil Nadu.
- Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena stated that the rains and flooding were unprecedented, leading to the requisition of services from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. In Tirunelveli alone, at least 36 villages have been flooded, and food has been provided to over 50,000 people in the affected regions.
- The Southern Railway reported approximately 800 passengers stranded in an express train in Thoothukudi district, PTI reported. An NDRF team has been delayed due to heavy flooding, with the railway accommodating passengers in the train coaches. Efforts are underway to evacuate them.
- Concrete houses have collapsed, and entire regions resemble waterways. Trucks and heavy vehicles are stranded, and several areas have witnessed extremely heavy rainfall. Disaster response forces, the Navy, and the Coast Guard are actively involved in rescue operations.
- State Ministers, including Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, were on the ground, inspecting and coordinating relief efforts. DMK MP K Kanimozhi and Minister of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Geetha Jeevan took stock of the flood situation in Thoothukudi.
- Food packets are set to be dropped in flood-hit areas, and dry food materials are being transported from the Air Force Station Sulur for distribution.
- The Indian Army’s Relief Column at Vasaipuram evacuated over 100 people which included 55 women involving a pregnant woman and 19 children.
17 women and 13 others including children were aided by the first column. The second column evacuated 12 women including one pregnant woman, 6 children including an infant, and 12 others. Simultaneously, 26 women, 10 children, and 28 others were evacuated by the third column, the Army informed, as per news agency ANI.
In response to the crisis, the government has extended the deadline for electricity consumption charges in the affected districts until January 2, 2024, with no fines to be imposed. The situation remains critical, and rescue and relief operations are ongoing as the people of southern Tamil Nadu grapple with the aftermath of unprecedented rainfall and flooding.