RAIN POUNDS TN: 5 DIE IN 24 HOURS

CHENNAI: Five people died in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu in the 24 hours till Friday morning, as torrential rains pounded several parts of the State. However, no one died in Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts, which received the highest rainfall in the State.

Talking to reporters after reviewing the rain situation, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management KKSSR Ramachandran said five persons, one each in Ariyalur, Dindigul and Sivaganga and two in Tiruvannamalai, died in the State. This is besides the death of 152 cattle, partial damage to 637 huts and complete destruction of 44 others. As many as 120 houses were also damaged,” the Minister said.

As many as 9,903 people were housed in 109 relief camps in Chengalpet, Dindugul, Kancheepuram, Perambalur, Pudukottai, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore and Thoothukudi districts. In Chennai city, 620 people were housed in five relief camps where they were provided with 720 food packets and medicine.

Stating that most of the State received rain, he said since the onset of the northeast monsoon on October 1, the State has received 580.84 mm of rainfall, which was 70 per cent higher than the average rainfall of 341.33 mm. He also said that in the last 24 hours, TN received an average of 39.34 mm of rainfall. Thoothukudi received the highest rainfall of 118.82 mm followed by Tirunelveli with 80.08 mm. Across the State, three places received very heavy rainfall; 8 places, heavy rainfall; and 87 places, downpour.

Two companies of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were sent to Chengalpattu and one company to Kancheepuram.

When asked about the status of compensation from the union government, the Minister said, unlike previous years, a Central team visited the State immediately after the disaster and so they were able to see the damages. After they submit the report, the amount will be allotted. We have requested the Centre to provide compensation twice and if required the State will ask compensation for a third time too, added the Minister.

Heavy rains pounded several parts of the State under the influence of the cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal which lay centred off the Sri Lanka coast, which did not concentrate into a Low Pressure as predicted earlier due to lack of cloud cover and speed.