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Chennai: Three people were killed in southern Tamil Nadu as heavy rainfall continued to inundate the region on Tuesday. Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu were hit by heavy rains on Saturday night and Sunday, causing widespread flooding. As several tanks overflowed, residential areas and agricultural lands were extensively submerged. A significant rise in water level was observed in low-lying areas, resulting in vehicles being stranded and houses being submerged.
In response to this emergency, both national and state disaster response forces were deployed for relief and rescue operations. Additionally, dams in Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts witnessed excessive flooding due to the rains.
The severity of the rains led to flooding in residential areas, especially in low-lying areas. Vehicles were left stranded and houses were flooded. Tanks overflowed and dams in the affected districts witnessed massive flooding, further worsening the situation.
For the next 24 hours, ‘red alert’ to continue for Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Tiruvaneli and Kanyakumari districts.
The rains caused significant damage to critical infrastructure, including roads and railway tracks. The seriousness of the situation is evident from the suspension of traffic on railway sections, diversion and cancellation of flights and disruption of bus services. Relief and rescue operations, including deployment of teams, evacuation of affected persons and mobilization of resources, underline the scale of the emergency and the coordinated efforts to respond to the crisis.
All schools, colleges, private institutions, banks and financial institutions in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari and Tenkasi districts remained shut on Monday due to heavy rainfall. The state government had ordered the closure in the wake of the downpour.
The severity of the floods can be attributed to meteorological factors, particularly unprecedented rainfall levels and the cyclonic circulation over the Comorin area. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall with a special alert for districts like Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Tenkasi.
Some areas recorded rainfall above the annual average in just 24 hours, highlighting the intensity of the weather event. IMD’s forecasts and alerts played an important role in enabling pre-emptive measures and emergency preparedness.
Governor RN Ravi will hold a meeting at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai on Tuesday with senior officials of central agencies and armed forces to review the situation in the flood-affected districts and mobilize maximum possible resources for rescue and relief operations.
The government’s proactive approach to managing the crisis is evident in the deployment of ministers, senior bureaucrats and disaster response teams. The involvement of officials in overseeing relief and rescue operations, efforts to set up relief centers and additional resources such as police personnel and relief camps demonstrate a comprehensive strategy to deal with the humanitarian and logistical challenges arising from the floods.
Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena said food and relief items to the affected people in the flood-hit areas will be distributed with the help of five helicopters of the Navy and Air Force on Tuesday.
Nineteen trucks carrying essentials such as water bottles, bread packets, biscuits, milk etc, which were arranged from neighbouring districts, were en route to Thoothukudi.
The impact of flooding extends far beyond immediate infrastructure damage. The closure of schools, colleges, banks and businesses caused significant disruption to daily life, livelihoods and public services. Displacement of individuals into relief camps and challenges in accessing essential services underline the far-reaching consequences of such natural disasters. Submergence of agricultural land also has an economic impact on the farming community and the wider agricultural sector.
The recent floods in Tamil Nadu come amid ongoing efforts to recover from previous weather-related disasters. Recurrence of such extreme weather events highlights the need for resilience-building measures, long-term disaster preparedness and infrastructure resilience. Experiences and lessons learned from current response efforts can inform strategies to enhance community resilience, improve early warning systems, and strengthen infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events.
