NDRF intensifies rescue ops in flood-battered Chennai

The NDRF has intensified its relief and rescue operations in the rain and flood-battered Chennai and its adjoining areas as it added 20 more teams for the job and rescued over 10,000 people till now.

Director General of the force, O P Singh, will also travel to the state to review the operations and effectively monitor these activities. 

The DG said here that his teams are expected to rescue and reach out to more number of people today as the water has receded in some places and power has been restored.

“We have rescued more than 10,000 people till now. 20 more teams from various locations have been mobilised to Tamil Nadu and the total strength of the NDRF by tonight would be 50. We expect to have better results today as things have improved and rains have stopped over the last night,” he said.

An official NDRF spokesperson said that by 1 PM a total of 10,589 people were moved to safer places by the teams.

“Out of the 20 fresh teams being sent in, five have already taken position in Tamil Nadu,” the spokesperson added.

The force already has 30 teams, with 40 personnel in each, working in the affected areas of the Tamil Nadu capital and adjoining Puducherry.

The unprecedented rain has killed 269 people till now even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Thursday announced a Rs 1,000 crore package for the flood-hit state.

A meeting of the Crisis Management Group (CMG) was also held under the Chairmanship of Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi to review the preparedness of the agencies along with officials of Ministries of Defence, Food, Railways, Agriculture, Health, Department of Telecommunications, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The NDRF has also pressed 131 inflatable and other kinds of boats and numerous sets of buoys and life jackets with the rescue and relief teams. 

“The teams also distributed 1,400 food packets and 2,300 water packets in the areas of Manali, Kuttapuram and Global health city,” the spokesperson added. The existing deployment of the NDRF units has been made in and around Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Vellore and Cuddalore, apart from small batches of rescuers responding on a need basis to random areas. The force, till now, had sent in over 830 life jackets, 520 life buoys and 25 deep diving sets along with 45 trained deep divers to assist the local administration in the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief work.

All public and private sector banks in the flood-ravaged Chennai and other districts of Tamil Nadu will remain open on Sunday and also offer extended business hours, according to a Finance Ministry statement. Besides, the banks have also been asked to replenish cash in all ATMs.

All banks in flood-affected areas will conduct operations on Sunday and work for extended business hours, the statement said.