"People severely affected, DMK govt not taking urgent action": Annamalai on TN floods

COIMBATORE: Accusing the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government of not taking immediate action, Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai said on Sunday that people have been severely affected by the rains and floods in Chennai and South Tamil Nadu. Heavy rains pounded the state over the last few days, wreaking havoc in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Kanyakumari. As many as 35 deaths have been reported, so far, in the ongoing flooding, with Thoothukudi district accounting for 22 fatalities and Tirunelveli 13.

The state government and the Centre have jointly mobilised a massive rescue and relief operation to help the affected people. "People have been severely affected by the rains and floods in Chennai and South Tamil Nadu. The DMK government has not taken immediate action," Annamalai said while addressing a press conference in Coimbatore on Sunday.

"The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu does not care about the people of Tamil Nadu," he claimed. The BJP leader added that the central government is going to render help to the people of Tamil Nadu very soon.

"Apart from that, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is going to visit Thoothukudi on Tuesday to conduct a direct inspection," the BJP leader said, adding, "As the Tamil Nadu government is not carrying out the work properly, the central government is going to take responsibility and carry out the work." Earlier, an MI-17 V5 chopper and ALH-Dhruv copter of the Indian Air Force air-dropped over 11 tons of relief materials in 12 different places in the rain-ravaged Thoothkudi district.

Till now, 59 tons of relief materials have been airdropped in the affected areas, according to the Southern Air Command of the IAF. On Saturday, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena said the rescue operation in the flood-affected southern districts of the state has been completed and the focus now is on the restoration of basic services there. However, communication lines in some districts are still in disarray in the aftermath of the flood.

Roads and railway tracks have been left inundated due to the incessant rainfall across the state. Schools and colleges in Thoothukudi district announced a holiday on Thursday after heavy rains continued to pound several areas of southern Tamil Nadu, creating a flood-like situation and throwing life out of gear.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said his government has taken all possible precautions and measures for the safety and welfare of flood-marooned people. "There's been a heavy and continuous rainfall in Chennai and surrounding districts. Historically, the Thoothukudi district has never seen this much rainfall. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed for rescue and relief operations," CM Stalin said.