CM Stalin to Meet PM Modi Tonight; Tamil Nadu Rain Kills 3, Over 12K Persons Rescued So Far

Torrential rains battered the southern state of Tamil Nadu, leaving three persons dead and several others in difficult situation. So far, as many as 7,500 people have been moved from their homes to relief centres.

Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday reached Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discuss relief initiatives. He will meet the PM at 10:30 pm, following which he will leave for Thoothukudi.

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force helicopters deployed for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions in the state. Four passengers including a pregnant woman and a 1.5-year-old baby were winched up and safely taken to Madurai, said PRO Nagpur, Ministry of Defence in an X post.

CM MK Stalin has written to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, urging him to deploy more helicopters for rescue and relief operations in the southern districts of TN.

Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Tenkasi are the worst-hit districts, where roads, bridges and paddy fields have submerged in water and the floodwater is entering people’s houses.

LATEST UPDATES

1. Indian Coast Guard has deployed six Disaster Relief Teams (DRTs) for relief operations in Tamil Nadu after the state sought assistance in rescue efforts.
2. Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi also chaired a meeting with armed forces and central agencies to review the situation in the flood affected areas.
3. A special train has been planned to transport all the 800 passengers.
4. Around 150 stranded passengers have been rescued so far and efforts to rescue the rest are underway, railway officials said. Meanwhile three choppers delivered food packets for the stranded persons.
5. CM Stalin is scheduled to PM Modi at 10:30 pm today, following which he will leave for Thoothukudi.
6. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, CM Stalin said that he has requested for more relief funds from the government. “I have asked for Rs 7,300 crore for immediate relief and Rs 12,000 crore for permanent relief,” he said, adding that the TN government has announced Rs 6,000 to those affected by the flood.
7. CM Stalin has said that eight ministers and 10 IAS officers have been sent for rescue and relief works, adding that 15 teams of SDRF and NDRF are on ground with other forces.
8. So far, 12,553 people have been rescued and moved to 143 shelters. “Tamil Nadu government will provide financial assistance to the affected districts as well,” Stalin noted. He further said that as an immediate relief, he will ask for funds from the National Disaster Fund.
9. The Engineering wing of the Southern Railway is in coordination with other departments in efforts to restore the traffic in the affected areas. Officials said that the Madurai main line is expected to be restored by Wednesday evening.The restoration work in the branch lines of Tiruchendur and Tirunelvelu, Maniyachchi, and Tuticorin would resume after receding of water and complete assessment.
10. Of the 800 passengers stranded in the express train in Srivaikuntam station, around 300 were were shifted to a nearby government school using four state transport buses and two mini vans. The rest of the 500 passengers could not be transported due to an overflowing bridge on the way.
11. Helicopter carrying two tonnes of relief materials left Sulur airbase earlier but could not make the drop, in view of the adverse weather conditions and moved to Madurai. The drop will be made on Wednesday morning.
12. A chopper with food materials from Madurai was sent to Srivaikuntam for the stranded railway passengers.
13. The Regional Meteorological Centre has issued Orange Alert for seven districts in Tamil Nadu and Karaikal, which are likely to receive moderate thunderstorms and lightning with Moderate rain. Yellow Alert has also been issued for isolated places over six districts in Tamil Nadu.
14. The rain’s fury took the lives of three persons, a PTI report confirmed.
15. Chief Minister MK Stalin reached Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a discussion with him about the rain and flood situation in the southern parts of Tamil Nadu.
16. Electricity supply was put hold in advance due to incessant rainfall, while mobile phone connectivity was also hit in multiple regions.
17. Public transport was also affected as road link was cut off after the overflowing of lakes and rivers in several regions.
18. In Tirunelveli district alone, so far at least 36 villages have been flooded and boats are being used to rescue people.
19. In Thoothukudi, 800 passengers in an express train were left stranded and an NDRF team en route to rescue them has been held up due to heavy flooding, said Southern Railway, adding that for now the passengers have been accommodated in the train coaches itself. The train is currently at the Srivaikuntam railway station and the stranded persons will likely be rescued by Tuesday.
20. Rail services were severely hit as the ballast was washed away in Srivaikuntam and iron tracks attached to cement slabs for support were swaying dangerously.
21. As many as 39 regions in southern Tamil Nadu witness extremely heavy rainfall, due to which the large volume of water flowing in waterfalls including Agasthiyar falls, felt like multiple cloudbursts happening back-to-back.
22. State Ministers and Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, along with other senior officials are continuously inspecting and coordinating the rescue and relief efforts.
23. Disaster Response Force Teams and Fire and Rescue Services, along with police personnel are actively engaged in the rescue work, including supply of food and drinking water. More than 50,000 people have been provided food in the flood-hit regions.
24. A helicopter from INS Parundu in Ramanathapuram rescued 17 stranded persons, including two pregnant women.
25. Another team from INS Kattabomman — involved in the rescue operations — so far has rescued at least 25 persons.
26. The Coast Guard’s six disaster relief team have also been deployed for rescue and relief works.
27. Additionally, the government assured people that there would be no fine for delay in payments of electricity consumption charges, while also extending the deadline till January 2, 2024.
28. Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi district registered 95 cm rainfall.
29. Incessant rainfalls also led to major dams and reservoirs to be overwhelmed with. The storage level of these bodies in the southern part of TN on Monday ranged between 80 to 100 per cent.
30. Over 200 NDRF personnel divided in eight teams have been stationed in such districts where the water storing bodies have touched the maximum range of storage. Two more NDRF teams are also set to be deployed in the affected areas.

(With PTI inputs)