Even as the North-East monsoon continued to play havoc in Tamil Nadu, the death toll in the State due to rain-related incidents mounted to 55 as on Friday. According to a release issued by the Tamil Nadu Government on Friday, many districts including Chennai, Vellore, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur bore the brunt of the nature’s fury. Normal life came to a grinding halt in Chennai and elsewhere as roads and arterial roads were flooded with water.
Officegoers in Chennai had to wade through waist-deep waters as bus services were called off due to floodwaters. The Government machinery has been put into 24X7 service and Chief Minister J jayalalithaa has sought hourly reports on the flood situation.
A ministerial team headed by A Panneerselvam, the Finance Minister, is touring the rain-ravaged Cuddalore district which saw maximum death and destruction. The district administration is in full swing and addressing all issues cropping up because of floods and rain related problems.
The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast further heavy rain in Tamil Nadu in the next few days as a new trough of low pressure has formed over South Andaman Sea. This is expected to bring heavy rain in the next few days.
The Chennai-Bangalore National Highway has been damaged badly because of the incessant rain for the last four days. “I have never seen a rain like this in the last three decades. The Palar River in Vellore, which was a picture of drought, has been flooded because of the heavy rain during the last three days,” said Kumaravel of Vellore, a usually arid district which does not get more than a day’s drizzle.
Many train services leaving Chennai were delayed and disrupted due to water-logging in the tracks. The Government of Tamil Nadu has declared solatium to the relations of those who lost their lives due to rain. Those whose houses were damaged too are given financial compensation from the Disaster Relief Fund.