Tamil Nadu rains: Five die, homes destroyed; minister fears more losses with intensified downpour

The state’s revenue and disaster management minister KKSSR Ramachandran apprehended more losses if the rain intensified again.

At least five persons died and over 500 huts were damaged, while another four houses were completely destroyed due to incessant rainfall in Tamil Nadu. The state’s revenue and disaster management minister KKSSR Ramachandran apprehended more losses if the rain intensified again.

People wade through a flooded street after rainfall in Chennai. (AFP Photo)

With the onset of northeastern rains, the southern state received one of the heaviest downpours in years with large stretches of its capital Chennai flooded.

Ramachandran said the Chennai civic body was pumping out water from low line areas with the rains having reduced in intensity. He added that rescue operation was being undertaken by the Army, National Disaster Relief Force, state fire department and others. “In Chennai, more nodal officers are posted for review and rescue operations,” the minister said.

The Met department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall between November 9 and 11 in Tamil Nadu and some parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh due the formation of a low pressure system over southeast Bay of Bengal in the next 12 hours.

Chief minister MK Stalin continued to inspect rain-affected areas of Kolathur and Villivakkam in Chennai and distribute food and relief materials to the needy people.

Opposition leader and former deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi “to issue instructions to the ministry of finance to release funds to the state to carry out rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations in view of heavy rainfall”, an ANI report said.

Meanwhile, schools and colleges remained closed in a number of districts, including Chennai, Madurai, Kanchi and Chengalpattu, due to the heavy rains.