Roads, bridges and paddy fields in several districts in southern Tamil Nadu submerged and residential colonies came under sheets of water on Monday after spells of unprecedented rains wreaked havoc causing flood-like conditions. One person has reportedly died in the Tuticorin district. The state has requested assistance from the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy in the rescue mission as well as dropping of aid in the affected region.
Kanyakumari received 17.3 cm of rainfall, whereas, Tirunelvelli received 26 cm and Tuticorin recorded 60 cm of rainfall in 15 hours.
Around 7,500 people were evacuated and housed in 84 relief camps. Through the Common Alert Protocol, SMS alerts were sent to 62 lakh people.
The state government has declared December 18 a public holiday in the four districts.
NDRF and State Disaster Response Force personnel, Fire and Rescue Service and police teams evacuated people from heavily inundated localities and housed them in schools and marriage halls.
Train services in the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur section have been suspended as 'the ballast' has been washed away, the track is 'hanging', and water is flowing over the railway tracks.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall today as a cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area is exacerbating.
