The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Patil visits Thevanampattinam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Patil visits Thevanampattinam

By Our Special Correspondent

CUDDALORE, DEC. 27. The Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, today inspected the tsunami-hit areas at Thevanampattinam here. Earlier, he arrived by a helicopter, and then left in a motorcade to coastal areas to inspect the devastation caused by the tidal waves.

To a question on relief works undertaken by the State Government, Mr Patil said it was doing a commendable job by providing adequate food and accommodation.

As the helicopter arrived at the Anna Stadium here slightly ahead of schedule, the officials were not ready at hand to receive the Minister, as they were busy handling the relief works elsewhere. However, after a while, the officials joined the Minister.

Mr. Patil asked the District Collector, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, to brief about the damages. He said 22,220 people had been accommodated in 29 shelters. So far, one-lakh food packets had been given to them, and today, 2,000 kg of rice from fair price shops at Parangipettai had been brought over here.

Toll 450

The Collector put the toll at 450, and expressed the fear that it might increase. The Project Officer, Jagannathan, had managed to reach the marooned islet, M.G.R.Thittu to distribute relief. A helicopter with relief materials had landed today at Chinna Vaikkal that remained inaccessible ever since Sunday, he said.

Mr. Bedi put the loss to fishermen at 429 mechanised boats, 535 catamarans, 3,000 huts, 2,000 pucca houses and 100 cattle heads. A total of 45 villages were severely affected and to help them Rs. 60 lakhs had been drawn from the Treasury fund.

Twentyfour fishermen, set out on three boats, were yet to return, and for the search operation, 2,000 litres of petrol and diesel had been allocated, he said.

Women casualty high

The Resident Medical Officer of the Cuddalore general hospital, Narayanaswamy, said that till today 200 deaths were reported in the town. These included 27 men, 109 women, and 64 children (32 boys and 32 girls). All the bodies had been identified.

Dr Narayanaswamy said among the victims included a staff nurse of the hospital, Kalavathi (45), along with her husband, Veeramani, a Forest Officer, and their 16-year-old son Hari. They died when they were hit by the tidal waves at the time of having a walk on the seashore on Sunday morning.

It is feared that the deaths might cross 2,000 in the district, as many lie buried beneath the debris, and hundreds of fishermen, who have gone for fishing, are yet to return.

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