Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore   

Commandos to be deployed to rescue the marooned

CUDDALORE: Over 37,400 people have been evacuated from rain-affected areas and accommodated in 80 relief centres in Cuddalore district, said Surjit K. Chaudhary, Principal Secretary (Agriculuture) and nodal officer for monitoring the flood situation in the district.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Mr. Chaudhary said that 40 habitations were inundated and remained inaccessible. Forty commandos and 21 boats from the National Disaster Management Centre at Arakkonam had been requisitioned to rescue people. They would arrive at the affected places by road and then begin the operation.

The number of areas remaining inaccessible were as follows: Chidambaram – 21, Kattumannarkoil – 21, Cuddalore – 18 and Panruti – 10.

Mr. Chaudhary said that death toll in the recent spell of rain was 11, including six men, four women and one child. As many as 13 cattle perished in floods, he said.

As regards crop damage, only tentative figures were available and the actual damage could be assessed after a few days. Of 80,373 hectares under samba paddy, 50,086 ha was submerged; pulses and groundnut on 5,070 ha and 500 ha were damaged.

Regarding horticulture crops, the damage was as follows: of the total area of 4,115 ha under banana, 112 ha were totally damaged and 232 ha submerged; Vegetables in 135 ha, turmeric in 32 ha, chillies in 41 ha, flowers in 123 ha, and tapioca in 365 ha were under water. However, there was no damage to cashew crop.

Mr. Chaudhary said that 40 community kitchens had been opened - Kumaratchi –21, Kattumannarkoil – eight, Chidambaram and Killai Town panchayat – five each, and Cuddalore Old Town – one. These kitchens would serve food three times a day at 6 a.m., 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.

A total of 576 trees and 405 electric poles were uprooted in the strong wind. Officials of the Highways Department and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board were busy removing the trees that had fallen on the roads and restoring power supply.

The Veeranam tank was getting a flow of 21,000 cusecs. To maintain the water level at 46 ft (maximum 47.5 ft), the outflow was pegged at 16,895 cusecs.

Other water sources such as Perumal Eri, Pelanthurai and Thozhudur had started surplussing. The total rainfall in the past four days was as follows: Bhuvanagiri – 704 mm, Chidambaram – 671 mm, Annamalai Nagar – 584 mm, Parangipettai – 673 mm, Sethiathope – 605 mm, Srimushnam – 365 mm, Cuddalore – 483 mm, Lalpet – 644 mm, and Kothavacheri – 652 mm.

Mr. Chaudhary also noted that the enumeration of the damaged houses was under way.

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Commandos to be deployed to rescue the marooned

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