Rain fury leaves 25 dead in TN, 1000 in relief camps

Chennai/New Delhi: As many as 25 people have died in various rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu since November 29, the state government said on Monday.

This includes 17 who died after a wall collapsed on three houses at Nadur village in Mettupalayam near Coimbatore.

As the North-East monsoon intensifies in the state, nearly 1,000 people have been accommodated in relief camps in Tuticorin, Cuddalore and Tirunelveli districts which bore the brunt of rain fury.

Some low-lying areas in Chennai and nearby Chenglepet and Kancheepuram districts were inundated following the downpour.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami chaired a review meeting with his deputy O Panneerselvam and other Cabinet colleagues and senior officials to take stock of the situation.

He issued orders to monitor the reservoirs, many of which are either full or fast filling up.

An official release said eight persons died in various rain-related incidents between November 29 and December 1.

Further, 17 people were killed in a wall collapse in Coimbatore on Monday, taking the total to 25.

As many as 58 heads of cattle perished while over 1,700 thatched and tiled roof houses suffered damage.

While the government announced Rs four lakh each to the families of the 17 victims killed in Mettupalayam, Palaniswami ordered due compensation to the kin of the other deceased, the release said. The monsoon had set in on October 16 bringing widespread rains.

Palaniswami asked officials to ensure preparedness by holding adequate stocks of medicines, food, diesel generators and disinfectants.

Rescue teams should be on standby with the necessary equipment to rush to affected areas while designated officials should monitor the precautionary measures, it said quoting the Chief Minister.

The incessant rains in Chennai over the weekend brought cheer to the city's water managers, as the storage in the four reservoirs went up.

The combined storage in the four reservoirs — Poondi, Cholavaram, Redhills and Chembrambakkam — stood at 4,091 million cubic feet (mcft), double the level it was on the same day in 2018, which was 1,694 mcft.

The overall combined capacity is 11,257 mcft.