Rain continues to batter southern districts of Tamil Nadu impacting life and property, especially in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi where the towns and villages were inundated. Train services were also affected leaving passengers stranded.
Over 7,000 people have been evacuated from their houses in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Tenkasi districts. As per the latest reports, three persons were killed in rain-related incidents and three more are feared dead. In Tirunelveli district alone, at least 36 villages were flooded and traffic was thrown off gear. At Seevalaperi and Meenakshipuram, residents sought shelter on the terraces of two-storied houses.
Over 100 houses at Nesavalar Colony in Nagercoil were inundated.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, moderate thunderstorms and lightning with moderate rainfall are likely to occur at isolated places over several districts of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal. On Monday, Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi registered 96 cm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Monday, which could be unprecedented.
Several roads were cut off after lakes breached and storage in major dams and reservoirs in southern Tamil Nadu ranged between 80 and 100 per cent.
People use a boat to shift from a flooded road following heavy rains in Tirunelveli | PTI
Meanwhile, train services were affected. Over 800 passengers in an express train were stranded in Thoothukudi district and the NDRF are yet to rescue them as the team was 'held up en route' due to heavy flooding. The train is at the Srivaikuntam railway station and they will be evacuated by Tuesday. Due to soil erosion, the ballast over which railway tracks were fixed firmly was washed away in Srivaikuntam. Iron tracks attached to cement slabs for support dangled precariously. The huge volume of water flowing in waterfalls including Courtallam and Agasthiyar looked like multiple cloudbursts happening continuously.
#WATCH | Normal life severely affected as many parts of Thoothukudi remain inundated due to heavy rainfall in the area#TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/BEQVbLYM0u
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2023
#WATCH | Severe waterlogging in parts of Thoothukudi as the area received heavy rainfall under the influence of cyclonic circulation#TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/YISN3gpJ4Q
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2023
#WATCH | Rescue operation underway in Tirunelveli after heavy rain wreaks havoc#TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/ejxfJWqgyU
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2023
Navy, IAF join rescue
The Navy was involved in rescue operations in Tirunelveli. A helicopter from INS Parundu in Ramanathapuram rescued 17 stranded persons including two pregnant women. Also, another team from INS Kattabomman is also involved in rescue operations and they have rescued at least 25 people.
The Coast Guard's six disaster relief teams have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. Though rains subsided in Kanyakumari and other southern regions, there was no respite from flooding.
Dry food materials are being taken from Air Force Station Sulur for distribution in affected areas. Food packets are set to be dropped in flood-hit areas, a Defence spokesperson said here.
(With inputs from PTI)
