Heavy rains have paralyzed several districts of the state, inundating entire neighborhoods, roads and railway tracks, days after a cyclone hit India’s south-eastern coast, causing widespread damage.
“The (toll) number could change,” federal Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman told reporters, adding that more than 40,000 people have been rescued so far and efforts are underway to reach those still stranded.
The state is one of the major electronics and manufacturing hubs in India. Some southern neighborhoods remained waterlogged on Friday.
“We’re struggling to get tractors and boats with food and essentials through water in the worst-affected areas,” said M. Balamurugan, who along with other volunteers have been distributing foods and essentials.
Tamil Nadu recorded over 64 mm of rainfall this week, more than triple the 20 mm that would be normal at this time of year, the weather department said, predicting more rainfall in parts of the state over the next five days.
For some the floods are reminiscent of rains eight years ago in state capital Chennai that killed 290 people and inundated large swathes of the city.Amid heavy rain causing widespread damage in Tamil Nadu, the Indian Air Force and the Navy undertook relief and rescue operations. Several stranded people were rescued from parts of south Tamil Nadu during the rescue. The Indian Navy personnel also distributed food and relief materials to flood-hit people in Madurai and Tuticorin on Wednesday.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin visited a relief centre on Thursday to distribute relief items to flood-affected people in Thoothukudi and also took stock of the situation.
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The office of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Wednesday assured that the Centre was providing all possible assistance to Tamil Nadu in the wake of incessant rains
"The IAF helicopters are carrying out rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected areas of Tamil Nadu. The central government is providing all possible assistance to Tamil Nadu," the Defence Minister's office said in a statement.
A state government release stated that the relief operation has also been undertaken by the state administration. "Relief operation is continuing. Loading of food packets and other relief material provided by the state administration on India Coast Guard ALH at first light at Madurai airport on December 20, 2023," the release stated
Similarly, a car with three passengers was rescued by the Indian Army in a flood-affected area of Kurukattur in Thoothukudi district.
Houses were flooded and streets remained waterlogged in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin's Alanthalai amid heavy rain. Officials had earlier said that southern districts, particularly Tirunelveli and Tuticorin witnessed record rainfall and flooding.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday issued a light rain warning for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal for the next six days. "Light to moderate rain is likely to occur at one or two places in Tamilnadu, Puducherry and Karaikal area from December 21 to 26, 2023," the release said