Buildings go under water in Tirunelveli as river in spate after heavy rains

CHENNAI: Heavy rains continued to pound the Tirunelveli district in southern Tamil Nadu, creating a flood-like situation and throwing life out of gear.

Visuals accessed by ANI showed some buildings going under water in the wake of the Tamraparni River of Tirunelveli breaching the danger mark following incessant showers over two days -- on December 18 and 19.

Earlier, the Indian Navy personnel distributed food and other relief materials at Srivaikundam railway station in Thoothukudi on Tuesday. The Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) was pressed into service to distribute food and other relief materials to 500 people stranded at the railway station.

"Initially, 500 passengers were standard at the Srivaikuntam Railway Station. This morning, about 6 RPF staff and 2 commercial staff from railways reached the station by road. They found an entry into the station and they took some relief and food materials for the passengers. We had 3 choppers of the Indian Air Force. They had dropped food and relief material for all these passengers. NDRF also reached in the morning and started the evacuation process, they have identified a route by which the passengers can be taken out from the station," Southern Railway Chief PRO B Guganesan said.

B Guganesan further said that Railways has arranged 13 buses about 3 kilometres away from the station.

"Special train rolls out of Vanchi Maniyachi to Chennai Egmore rescuing stranded passengers from Srivaikuntam with medical and catering teams on board," the Southern Railways said in a statement.

"Indian Army Column 'Madras Regimental Centre' under HQ Dakshin Bharat Area inducted for Flood Relief Operation on December 18 and 19 in Tuticorin District in Tamil Nadu. 550 Food packets were delivered to marooned individuals at Karungulam village," Defence PRO Chennai said in a statement.

Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations continued during the night along Thiruchendur road ahead of Karungulam.

Heavy rain wreaked havoc in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari on December 18. Indian Army rescued flood-affected people from the Vasavappapuram area in Thoothukudi on Monday night. The state government and the Centre have jointly mobilised a massive rescue and relief operation to help the affected people.

"On December 18, Tamil Nadu received unprecedented rains in the last 24 hours that have caused extensive flooding in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts. The IAF responded swiftly and tasked Air Force Station Sulur with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, which is currently being undertaken by MI -17 V5 helicopter," read a post by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on social media platform X.