Fresh rain set to delay restoration of power supply in devastated areas

“Rain commenced around 11 am on Tuesday. Since then the repair works had been stopped as safety of the workers was at risk. Electric poles damaged in the cyclone are at risk of collapsing,” said a senior Tangedco official.

The Electricity Department suffered maximum damage due to the cyclone as close to one lakh electric poles across the delta region suffered damage.

Electricity Minister P Thangamani, who has been visiting all the affected areas, is overseeing the repair works. Close to 30,000 personnel, including 15,000 from the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, are engaged in repairing the damaged electric poles and transformers.

Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar, who is monitoring relief works in his native district of Pudukkottai, lent a helping hand to a TNEB worker who suffered shock. The worker, identified as Murugesan, was repairing an damaged electric pole in Kalamavur village when the incident happened. He was reportedly electrocuted due to reverse current from a private college functioning with the help of a generator. While Murugesan was brought down, Vijaya Baskar immediately rushed to help him. The minister ensured that Murugesan was taken to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital. When contacted, Tangedco officials said Murugesan was safe.