TN: Normal life impacted as parts of Thoothukudi remain inundated due to heavy rainfall

THOOTHUKUDI: Normal life has been severely affected as many parts of Thoothukudi remained inundated due to heavy rainfall on December 18. Floods in various parts of the city have disrupted the movement of vehicles as heavy rainfall continues to impact life and property.

A rescue operation is underway in Tirunelveli after heavy rain has wreaked havoc in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari. Chennai Meteorological Department at 7 am on Tuesday said, "Moderate thunderstorms and lightning with moderate rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places over several districts of Tamil Nadu & Karaikal. Light rain is likely in isolated places in several districts of Tamil Nadu in the next three hours."

The Chennai Chennai MeT predicted thunderstorms and lightning with moderate rain at isolated places over Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai districts of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal on Tuesday morning. "Heavy rainfall in the Southern District of Tamil Nadu impacted train operations. Southern Railway is making concerted efforts to restorative of traffic & evacuation of stranded passengers at Srivakuntam Railway station," Southern Railway said in a press release.

Railway Staff from Madurai Division Commercial supervisor, Commercial Inspector and RPF Personnel have reached Srivaikuntam Railway station today morning with food and water for the stranded passengers. NDRF is also reaching Srivaikuntam Rly station shortly. The evacuation by ground will start once they reach.

NDRF PRO stated that two NDRF teams struggled to reach stranded passengers for rescue operations due to severe floods. NDRF is making efforts to reach them and will do the necessary. 13 buses for transportation of the stranded passengers are kept ready in the Srivaikuntam bus depot. On evacuation from the station, they will be brought to the buses and moved to Vanchi Maniyachchi Railway Station which is 38 kms from Srivaikuntam.

A special train will be run to Chennai from Vanchi Manyichchi Station for all the stranded passengers, Southern Railways said. Indian Army rescued flood-affected people from the Vasavappapuram area in Thoothukudi on Monday night.

As the Southern Tamil Nadu faces severe flood crisis due to heavy rains that have lashed the region in the last 24 hours. The state and central governments have launched massive rescue and relief operations 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," the Indian Air Force said in a post on 'X'.