Rescuers race to reach victims of deadly India floods

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he was pained by the devastation caused by floods in Tamil Nadu, and announced an immediate relief of Rs.1,000 crore to the state.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa also conducted an aerial survey of the flood affected areas of Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallu today.

The heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years has devastated swathes of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, forcing thousands to leave their submerged homes as schools, offices and an airport remained shut for a second day Thursday.

Floods and incessant rainfall cut off more than three million people from basic services and hampered rescue efforts by the army. The Airport Authority of India said that the airport was likely to be closed until Sunday.

According to her, over 41.95 food packets had been provided to people.

NDRF Director General O P Singh said in New Delhi that the force will intensify its operations in the affected areas as more of its men are being deployed on the ground.

Teams of NDRF and Army personnel and police and fire service men swung into action to rescue people from their flood homes in Kotturpuram, Nandanam, Jafferkhanpet, Saidapet and the suburbans areas of Velacheri, Madipakkam, Tambaram and Mudichur localities where waters had reached upto first floor.

Dhatwalia said the priority was to fix phone networks, distribute drinking water, medicines, food for infants and prevent the spread of water-borne diseases. Ten more teams from Pune and Patna have been mobilised to Tamil Nadu. More importantly, the break in rain resulted in a sharp fall in the discharge of waters from Chembarapakkam, Pondi and Puzhal lakes, leading to a much-needed reduction in the water levels of the two rivers that criss-cross the city.

Singh said that additional troops, divers and helicopters were being dispatched to Chennai and nearby affected districts.

Chennai will remain overcast with possibility of intermittent rains.

In his message to the Governor of Tamil Nadu K.Rosaiah, the president said: “I am very sad to learn about the loss of human lives and serious damage to infrastructure in Chennai and several other parts of Tamil Nadu due to heavy rains”.

“That said, it’s something we normally do especially in the cases of strong partners like India, where we offer whatever assistance we can in the aftermath of natural disaster”. “One lakh bottles of Rail Neer have been dispatched to Tamil Nadu”, he added. The rains have been caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, the agency said.