TN rains: NDRF teams kept on standby in Arakkonam

CHENNAI: Due to incessant rains across Tamil Nadu due to an upper atmospheric circulation prevailing over the South Andaman Sea, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been kept on standby in Arakkonam.

NDRF officer Akhilesh Kumar said the NDRF teams have been kept on standby in Arakkonam due to heavy rainfall warning.

In a statement, he said that ten teams of 25 personnel each are on standby to visit the concerned rain-affected districts in Tamil Nadu immediately if the State government gives an order.

He added that the rescue teams are on standby with state-of-the-art equipment for rescue operations and protective gear to rescue civilians.

Read: Light to moderate rain likely in 13 districts of TN for next 3 hours: RMC

The NDRF officer also said that he is in touch with the State Emergency Control Centre of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Chennai.

On early Tuesday morning, the Tamil Nadu government instructed 27 District Collectors to adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to handle disasters, gear up district machinery, and take adequate preparedness measures to tackle any exigency. The instruction was issued by the Commissioner of Revenue Administration & State Relief Commissioner S K Prabakar to the District Collectors.

Meanwhile, schools and colleges in seven districts of Tamil Nadu namely Cuddalore, Villupuram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Ariyalur, Thiruvarur, and Thanjavur have been declared holiday today due to heavy rains. Tiruvannamalai District Collector B Murugesh has also declared holiday for schools today due to rain.

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