Following the severe weather warning for parts of Tamil Nadu, the State government is gearing up to face the impact of heavy rains.
After a review meeting on Friday, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami instructed the IAS officers in-charge to set out to the allotted districts immediately to oversee disaster management and rain preparedness measures. Following the Indian Meteorological Department issuing a red alert, indicating up to 25 cm of rainfall in districts abutting the Western Ghats and parts of South Tamil Nadu on October 7, the meeting was convened.
The collectors of districts along the Western Ghats were asked to be fully prepared to tackle any situation.
Besides the 1,275 police personnel trained to be part of State Disaster Response Force and Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services personnel, the State government has also sought the assistance of National Disaster Response Force.
Five teams of the NDRF, Arakkonam are moving to Ooty, Coimbatore, Madurai and Kanniyakumari following a request for pre-positioning from the government.
These teams, which are moving to these districts by road as per the direction of the State Relief Commissioner, would be pre-positioned in highly vulnerable areas in consultation with the respective district administration.
All teams will be equipped with flood rescue-related equipment, collapsed-structure search and rescue equipment, deep divers and paramedic staff, a press release said. As widespread rainfall is likely for the next few days, the Chief Minister ordered the rescue of fishermen still at sea.
‘Rescue the fishermen’
At present, 89 fishing boats are still at sea and district collectors must ensure that all these fishermen reach shore safely, he added.
The meeting also dwelt on monsoon preparedness as the IMD had predicted the northeast monsoon will begin earlier than expected, on October 8.
Pointing out that the flood channels and major waterways are being desilted in anticipation of the monsoon in Chennai and other districts, the Public Works Department was asked to keep equipment near estuaries and bridges to clear obstructions during inundation.
The need to eradicate mosquitoes to prevent the spread of dengue and border check posts monitoring to prevent spread of infectious diseases were discussed.