Rain continues to pour misery in Tamil Nadu, toll mounts to 176

Showers continued to lash parts of Tamil Nadu, including the state capital, as death toll in the rain-related incidents mounted to 176 on Wednesday, even as the weatherman has forecast more rain in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Seven more deaths were reported from across the state since Tuesday, while there was a let up in rainfall in most areas of the state since last evening, including Chennai.

Five persons died on Tuesday while two deaths were reported from the state on Wednesday.

The meteorological department said rains or thundershowers would occur at a few places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, coastal Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep in the next 24-48 hours.

For Chennai and its neighbourhood, skies would be cloudy and there may be rain or thundershowers in some areas, it said.

Papanasam in Tiruneveli district received heavy rainfall of 10 CM, while Rameswaram, Cheranmahadevi and Coonoor received least rainfall of one cm each, the Met office said.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa condoled the death of seven persons and announced a compensation of Rs four lakh each to their next of kin from the disaster relief fund.

The chief minister had written to the Prime Minister on November 23, pegging the flood damage at Rs 8,481 crore, and urged him to immediately release Rs 2,000 crore to sustain relief work.

Meanwhile, a high-level inter-ministerial central team will visit Tamil Nadu on Thursday to assess the damage caused by the recent floods in Chennai and neighbouring districts which were worst affected.

Over 120 people lost their lives in Tamil Nadu in last fortnight following floods due to incessant rains which lashed Chennai and some other parts of the state.

The team, led by Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs TVSN Prasad, has been deputed for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation, a Home Ministry spokesperson said.

The team has been deputed following a request from the Tamil Nadu government to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The team will include representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Rural Development, Drinking Water and Power from Delhi, representatives of Ministries of Road Transport and Highways and Health from Chennai and Central Water Commission, Bengaluru.