All the passengers who were stranded inside a marooned train (the Tiruchendur-Chennai Express) were rescued in batches by the Indian Air Force and the southern railways on Tuesday, officials familiar with the matter said.
They have been stuck at the flooded Srivaikuntam railway station in Thoothukudi since December 17 night. While 300 out of 800 passengers were rescued on Monday, rescue personnel could not access the remaining people due to the flooding and the speed of the water currents, officials said. The officials said railways and the national disaster response force (NDRF) with state police started the evacuation process.
On Tuesday morning, railway personnel waded through chest-deep water to give food packets and water bottles to the passengers. Subsequently, three helicopters dropped relief items.
“As the water level receded on Tuesday, passengers could be seen wading through
knee-deep water for about three-kilometres from the station. By Tuesday evening, all of them were rescued and brought to relief centres and a special train would take them to Chennai,” B Guganesan, railways spokesperson said.
Besides the train passengers, the Indian Air Force said that they rescued four stranded people including a pregnant woman and an infant while the Indian Coast Guard rescued 80 people in Thoothukudi.
{{/usCountry}}Besides the train passengers, the Indian Air Force said that they rescued four stranded people including a pregnant woman and an infant while the Indian Coast Guard rescued 80 people in Thoothukudi.
{{/usCountry}}Tamil Nadu chief secretary Shiv Das Meena said 10 deaths have been reported with seven in the worst hit Tirunelveli district and three in Thoothukudi district. Three died due to wall collapse, four due to drowning, two due to electrocution, and one was reported as a natural death, he said.
The southern districts of the state received extreme rainfall of more than 40 cm at several places and about 95 cm at Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi district on Monday. The heaviest rains ever in the region disrupted life there with the administration shifting 12,653 people to 141 relief shelters till now. Even though water levels receded on Tuesday, people complained about not receiving the relief material and loss to their homes and farmland.
As ‘Missing CM’ trended on X (formerly Twitter), opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami claimed that people in the rain-battered southern districts were suffering due to lack of food since the last three days and alleged that the state government has hardly taken any precautionary measures.
Taking a swipe at chief minister MK Stalin’s claims on handling the situation arising due to the floods in Chennai and suburbs recently, Palaniswami said that he (the CM) should visit the flood-hit areas “to hear the praises” from the affected people.
“I met the affected people in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts today. They have not received food for three days. Children haven’t got milk and people have not received any medical treatment,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
Considering the enormity of the disaster, CM Stalin asked the Centre on Tuesday to deploy more helicopters immediately. In a letter to the defence minister Rajnath Singh, Stalin said as of now four Air Force helicopters, two helicopters each from the Navy and Coast Guard are being deployed for rescue of stranded people and dropping food items for the marooned.
“Given the enormity of the disaster and the large number of habitations to be covered, we need more helicopters for rescue and relief distribution. Hence, I request your urgent intervention to deploy the maximum number of helicopters immediately,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu government did not attend a review meeting called on by governor RN Ravi with other central agencies regarding the floods. “Though a request was sent no official attended the meeting,” the Raj Bhavan said. When asked about the meeting to Stalin, he responded, “During Covid-19, the Prime Minister conducted all meetings. Has the President conducted meetings, what would have been his reaction. That is my reaction too.”