The southern districts, particularly Tirunelveli and Tuticorin, are reeling under the impact of record-breaking rainfall, severely affecting nearly 40 lakh people. In response to the crisis, Chief Minister MK Stalin’s government has declared the situation alarming, prompting a massive rescue operation involving Indian Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard helicopters.

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The relentless downpour over the last two days has plunged Tirunelveli and Tuticorin into a state of emergency, with Srivaikuntam and Tuticorin towns facing extensive flooding from the swollen Thamirabarani River and surrounding areas. CM MK Stalin has characterized this rainfall as ‘unprecedented,’ highlighting the gravity of the situation. In an effort to address the crisis, four IAF helicopters, two Navy helicopters, and two Coast Guard choppers are tirelessly engaged in rescuing stranded individuals and air-dropping essential supplies.

Source: Times of India

Kayalpattinam in Tuticorin bore the brunt of the calamity, recording a staggering 95cm of rainfall on Monday. Several other towns in Tuticorin also experienced more than 60cm of rain, causing rivers and channels to overflow. The 37 monitoring stations in the region reported extremely heavy rainfall, further escalating the magnitude of the disaster.

Key developments include the Indian Air Force’s deployment of Medium Lift Helicopters (MLH) and Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts. CM MK Stalin has urgently requested Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to deploy additional helicopters to intensify rescue and relief operations in the beleaguered southern districts.

Source: YouTube

Rescue efforts are underway in Tirunelveli, where heavy rain has wreaked havoc across Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari. The Indian Army successfully completed a rescue operation in Nanalkadu on Tuesday. In a strategic move, authorities decided not to open the Mullaperiyar dam considering the reduced water inflow into the reservoir.

Amid the crisis, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed concern over the scarcity of food for affected people in the rain-battered southern districts. State’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran reported partial and complete damages to houses in the Tenkasi district. The state government is actively working on compensating for the damaged crops in Tenkasi.

Source: NDTV

In an earlier move, CM Stalin deployed nine ministers and a team of IAS officers to oversee rescue and relief operations in the affected districts. The state government is actively working to address the immediate needs of the affected population and pave the way for recovery in the aftermath of this unprecedented natural disaster.