“I have seen the damage and misery caused by the extremely heavy rainfall”.
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Meanwhile, with the rains having reduced, rescue operations by different teams have intensified in Tamil Nadu to rescue stranded people as they are trying to take advantage of the rain-less situation.
Floodwaters have started receding from parts of the southern Indian city of Chennai (Madras), hours after it experienced a respite from rain.
The Southern Railway has announced special trains to Tirunelveli, Rameswaram and Howrah from Chennai Beach station.
“This rainfall has broken a 100-year record and has created an emergency situation in Chennai”, Home Minister Rajnath Singh told parliament after days of torrential rain led to a dramatic worsening of the weeks-long crisis.
While speaking to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, he said, “Government of India stands by the people of Tamil Nadu in the hour of grief”.
Teams of NDRF and army personnel and police and fire service men swung into action to rescue people from their flood homes in Kotturpuram, Nandanam, Jafferkhanpet, Saidapet and the suburbans areas of Velacheri, Madipakkam, Tambaram and Mudichur localities where waters had reached upto first floor. She told him that since there had been further destruction after the initial memorandum was submitted, the Tamil Nadu government would be submitting a supplementary memorandum to the Centre shortly. The estimate of loss to property that was earlier pegged at Rs 10,000 crore plus by the Tamil Nadu government but is expected to go up substantially. “The military hospital at St Thomas Mount has been made functional and treatment is being given to many flood-affected patients”, said Army. The rains have been caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, the agency said.
Over 4% of telephone connections were down and electricity had to be disconnected in several waterlogged areas for the safety of residents.
The deluge earlier this week dumped as much as 345mm of rain over 24 hours. Speed boats, assault boats, helicopters and choppers have also been pressed into service by the defence forces to conduct rescue operations and provide relief material to the people who are stuck due to floods. Access to the region remains closed with the main airport still shut and rail tracks flooded. The Rajali naval air station at Arakkonam, 70 km west of Chennai, will function as a makeshift airport.
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The death toll has gone up to 197, officials said.
