CHENNAI: Rescue and relief operations were in full swing on Thursday in the worst flood-affected areas of Chennai and suburbs and neighbouring districts which enjoyed a welcome respite from torrential rains.
Heavy rains continued to lash coastal Cuddalore district, one of the worst affected areas ever since North-East monsoon fury started early last month, and Villupuram and Kanyakumari districts and Puducherry as the death toll in the state mounted to 269.
Teams of NDRF and army personnel and police and fire service men swung into action to rescue people from their flood homes in Kotturpuram, Nandanam, Jafferkhanpet, Saidapet and the suburbans areas of Velacheri, Madipakkam, Tambaram and Mudichur localities where waters had reached upto first floor.
A total of 28 NDRF teams with over 1,200 personnel were deployed in Chennai where they rescued around 5,000 marooned people by deploying over 110 boats. Two NDRF teams were deployed in Puducherry Air Force personnel dropped food packets providing succour to the distressed people living on roof tops after floods displaced them from their homes.A total of 14 lakh food packets were distributed, Tamil Nadu government said.
As many as 255 Navy personnel were pressed into service with 12 boats and 15 helicopters for reaching relief.
The city remained virtually cut off from the rest of the country with air, rail and road transport services continued to be suspended while public transport was crippled because of flooding of arterial main roads, including the Mount Road over the Marmalong bridge.
While intermittent rains have been forecast for Chennai, coastal and interior Tamil Nadu will receive more rains in the next 24 hours.
The Grand Southern Trunk Road that links Chennai with Madurai and beyond was cut off after breaches in several places in Kanchipuram district.
The Southern Railway announced cancellation of all inter and intra-state train services till Saturday while the airport operations will remain suspended till Sunday.
Prices of milk, vegetables and food items sky rocketed because of short supply and people were forced to fork out huge amount of money for buying essentials.
Though the torrential rains took a break and sun came out in brief spells, new areas of the city like Kodambakkam, Ashok Nagar and T. Nagar were flooded today after overnight discharge of 30,000 cusecs of water from Chembarambakkam, one of the key sources of drinking water for the city.
Adyar river that flows into the sea after traversing through several areas of the city has been in spate after surplussing of water from Chembarambakkam and other lakes on the outskirts.
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Rs 1000 CRORE
RELIEF FOR TN
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an immediate release of Rs 1,000 crore for relief and rehabilitation works in Tamil Nadu.
* Government of India will stay with the people of Tamil Nadu in this hour of need, he said after an aerial survey
* Modi made the announcement after holding consultations with Jayalalithaa at the naval base in Chennai
>> See pg 10
