Rain recedes in Tamil Nadu, rescue operations continue

Chennai: Rain might have receded in Tamil Nadu for a while after claiming over hundred lives, but thousand of people are still stranded in several flood-hit districts of the state.

The Army, Navy and Coast Guard have back the rescue and relief efforts of the government and Air Force in the affected areas.

According to weather officials, the rain slowed down after the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal moved towards Andhra Pradesh. However, officials on Tuesday said moderate rain is expected to occur in northern Tamil Nadu in the next 24 hours.

This is for the first time that all three wings of the defence forces along with the Coast Guard are carrying out rehabilitation efforts in the rain-battered state.

Apart from a group of 50 Army personnel from Headquarters Dakshin Bharat Area, which has been pressed into service at Mudichur in Kancheepuram district, a 24-member Navy team was also sent for the relief and rescue work in Chennai and its suburban areas.

Commodore Alok Bhatnagar, Naval Officer-in-Charge (Tamil Nadu and Puducherry) said two naval helicopters have been kept ready for air-dropping water bottles and food packets in the marooned areas.

class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Besides, trained Coast Guard members were busy rescuing fishermen and their boats along the coastal areas of northern Tamil Nadu.

Rescue operations on

While Air Force personnel were engaged in carrying out relief measures and sorties to rescue citizens, a team from the National Disaster Response Force arrived to help the district administration in Cuddalore.

A revenue department official said that more than 10,000 people were evacuated from the low-lying areas of various districts by the defence forces either by airlifting or through boats.

Meanwhile, the state government declared holiday for schools and colleges in several districts, including Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur. The death toll in rain-related incidents crossed 100 with 51 people losing their lives in Cuddalore district alone.

In Kancheepuram district, the number of people died is 21. Deaths also occurred in Chennai (11), Thiruvallur (5), Vellore (4), Erode, Madurai, Coimbatore, Namakkal and Tiruvanamalai (2 each). One each died in Tiruvaru and Dharmapuri.