CHENNAI: In a significant move, the State government on Friday declared six districts in Southern Tamil Nadu as Flood affected districts and four districts in Northern Tamil Nadu as Cyclone affected districts.
According to the Government Order issued by V Rajaraman, Secretary to Government, Revenue and Disaster Management department, "Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts are declared as Cyclone affected districts. Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar districts are declared as Flood affected districts."
"The extremely abnormal heavy downpour due to upper air circulation and consequent flooding had caused loss of human lives, cattle and also heavy damages to houses, huts, agricultural/horticultural crops, public infrastructure like roads, bridges, power, water supply etc," read the GO.
"There has been extensive damage to MSMEs. Many poor and daily wage earners have lost their livelihood completely. Further, the fishermen were offshore for more than a week which affected their livelihood," it added.
Earlier, the state government urged the Centre to declare the state as a disaster-affected state but however, the Centre refused the state's request.