Five dead as rains continue to pound western Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government on Friday requested the Sulur airbase of the IAF to remain on standby for rescue operations as the situation remained grim since heavy rains are expected to lash the western region of the state.

Five people were dead and hundreds have been evacuated to safety as Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts which share common boundaries with the Western Ghats continue to be pounded by heavy downpour resulting in floods and landslides.

A view of the flooded area after heavy rain in Kerala on Friday. In neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Bhavani, Noyyal and Amaravathi rvers have been flooded leading to displacement of several people. (ANI Photo)

The Tamil Nadu government on Friday requested the Sulur airbase of the IAF to remain on standby for rescue operations as the situation remained grim since heavy rains are expected to lash the western region for another couple of days.

The Bhavani, Noyyal and Amaravathi rivers have been flooded, inundating several low lying areas of Coimbatore city and its neighbourhood while the torrential rains have caused landslides in the Nilgiris. Avalanchi in the district, which received copious rains for the last three days, recorded 911 mm rainfall on Thursday.

In an official statement, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the family of the five victims in the Nilgiris.

He also said that a team of 491 personnel, comprising 66 from the army, are engaged in rescue and relief operations in the Nilgiris. A total of 1744 people have been moved to safety and sheltered in 28 relief centres. He further added, mobile clinics and ambulances have been deployed in the affected region.

In view of the difficulties in carrying out the rescue operations, the Sulur airbase in Coimbatore has been requested to remain on a standby to extend assistance, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the southern districts of Theni, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts have been receiving excessive rainfall and dams in the region, including Mullaiperiyar, has been getting enhanced inflow.

Karnataka too had released more water in the Cauvery and levels of Mettur Stanley Reservoir is rising steadily, bringing cheers to the delta farmers.