Stalin deputes Ministers, CRA for Ooty flood

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday deputed two Ministers, KKSSR Ramachandran, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management and V Senthil Balaji, Electricity Minister, to the Nilgiris to undertake flood relief works and assess the damages caused by the flood.

"As the Indian Meteorological department had issued warning for severe rain in the Nilgiris district, the relief works had to be undertaken on a war footing and the damages caused to the agriculture and horticulture crops and for other infrastructures need to be assessed. Revenue Minister and Electricity Minister along with Commissioner of Revenue Administration (CRA) SK Prabakar will join Forest Minister K Ramachandran in the Nilgiris district for undertaking effective relief works", said Stalin, in a statement.

Right from the beginning of the Southwest monsoon season, Tamil Nadu has been receiving excess rainfall. From June 1 till Thursday, Tamil Nadu had received 115.8 mm of rainfall which is 48 percent higher than the average rainfall.

Nilgiris district had received 600 percent more than average rainfall in the past one week.

From June 1 till Thursday, the district received 664.9 mm rainfall which is 125 percent higher than the average. In the past one week, the district received 263.5 mm of rainfall against the average of 38.9 mm. Due to the downpour huts and houses in several parts of the district had been damaged. So far 102 persons of 22 families were made to stay in five relief camps.

Apart from the Ministers, two companies from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been sent to the district and the National Disaster Response Force from Arakkonam is ready to be dispatched to the district.