Begin typing your search...
Violent Vardah: Chief Minister puts relief operations in top gear
Chief Minister O Panneerselvam held a series of discussions with officials of various departments and put the entire government machinery in top gear in carrying relief and rescue operations in the aftermath of cyclone Vardah.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
According to sources, Panneerselvam after the meetings went on a direct inspection of the affected in the three districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur. It is expected that the CM after returning from these places would hold another round of discussion with officials on how to expedite the relief work and restore normalcy in the worst-affected parts.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also briefed Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao about the rescue and rehabilitation works being carried out in the affected areas of the three districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur. The Governor enquired about the situation in the wake of the cyclone and the Chief Minister apprised him of the measures initiated by the state government to restore all services and the operations carried out to ensure safety and alleviate problems of the people who were accommodated in relief centres, a Raj Bhavan release said.
“The Governor is monitoring the situation closely,” it said. Rao, also the Governor of Maharashtra, was “preoccupied” due to the winter session of that state’s Assembly in Nagpur, it said. Cyclone Vardah had crossed the coast near here on Monday, ripping through Chennai and affecting Kancheepuram and Tiruvallore districts. Meanwhile, the State Disaster Management Agency said 1,531 fallen trees have been removed off the roads.
“Work is going on. All major roads have been cleared for traffic,” the agency said. In a simultaneous development, Leader of Opposition M K Stalin also visited some of the affected parts in the city and also in Kolathur, his constituency. He appealed to the state government to expedite the rescue operations and provide all relief materials to the needy.
Rajnath takes stock of situation in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a high-level meeting here on Tuesday to take stock of the relief operations following the landfall of cyclone Vardah in Tamil Nadu and its effect on coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Rajnath Singh, after review, expressed his satisfaction on the preparedness of the Central and State agencies in handling the natural disaster which has resulted in minimising casualties. He ordered to keep the inter-ministerial central team ready to be sent to Tamil Nadu immediately on receipt of the memorandum from the State Government. The director general National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) informed that 19 teams of NDRF consisting of 268 rescuers along with 29 boats have been deployed in Tamil Nadu.
The NDRF teams are removing road blockage. Three more teams consisting of 108 rescuers along with 15 boats have also been sent to Chennai. Six teams consisting of 205 rescuers along with 20 boats have been deployed in Andhra Pradesh. Flights have also become operational at Chennai Airport from Tuesday morning. As per status report at 10 am, in Tamil Nadu, 297 relief centres were opened and 104 were in operation. A total of 13,578 persons evacuated to shelters. Sixteen deaths have been reported, 55 huts damaged, 9,154 trees have fallen, 5,200 electrical poles and 71 transformers damaged and out of 312 road blocked 152 have been cleared.
In Andhra Pradesh, total 59 relief centres have been set up and 10,960 persons were evacuated from vulnerable/low lying areas in Andhra Pradesh. As per IMD bulletin issued on Tuesday morning, the deep depression over north Tamil Nadu moved further west-southwestwards and weakened into a depression and lay centered over north interior Tamil Nadu west of Tiruppattur and north of Dharmapuri.
The system is likely to continue to move west-sothwestwards and weaken gradually into a well-marked low pressure area. The meeting was attended by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!
Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!
Click here for iOS
Click here for Android
Next Story
