At least 10 people lost their lives and educational institutes ordered shut as incessant rains wreaked havoc across southern districts of Tamil Nadu for the fourth consecutive day today.
Contrary to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) forecast, the severity of the rain was underestimated, resulting in extreme levels of precipitation over the last 48 hours, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena said on Tuesday.
“Ten people have died in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts due to rain. While some lost their lives due to wall collapse, some died due to electrocution,” he told reporters at the Secretariat.
Responding to the crisis, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army have been actively engaged in rescue operations in the southern state, the Southern Air Command IAF Media Co-ordination Centre said.
IAF helicopter airdrops relief materials in the rain and flood-affected areas of Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/2XmGLeRW1d
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2023
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In view of heavy rain, educational institutions in Thirunelveli and Tenkasi districts have declared a holiday, while Thuthukudi district observes a general holiday.
Transportation has also been severely impacted, with train services disrupted in the affected regions. The Southern Railway has released a list of fully cancelled and partially cancelled trains, including Nagercoil-Kanniyakumari Exp Spl and Nagercoil-Tirunelveli Exp Spl.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and submitted a request to declare the damage caused by the Michaung storm and heavy rain in the southern districts a national calamity. CM Stalin urged PM Modi to allocate a disaster relief fund, citing the unprecedented nature of the damage, unseen in the last century in the region.