Rescue teams, helipads, relief equipment and camps have been readied in Tamil Nadu in view of the forecast of a low-pressure area that could bring rain from Tuesday, the Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Department said on Monday.
Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran held a review meeting with officials on the state of preparedness.
First responders and rescue teams are on standby to engage in rescue and relief operations. In the coastal districts, 121 safety camps and 5,105 relief camps have been set up. As many as 3,915 tree cutters, 2,897 earth movers, 2,115 generators and 483 high-power motors have been kept ready.
A total of 87 helipads for using helicopters for rescue operations have also been readied, an official press release stated.
Fishermen have been provided 21,000 high-VHF equipment, 600 satellite pones and 296 NAVTEX and NAVIC equipment.
They have been advised not to venture into the sea from Tuesday to Friday (November 9 to 12).
The Minister said 169 relief camps had been set up in Chennai and 889 people accommodated in 48 of them. A total of 1.52 lakh food packets have been distributed, he said.
At the meeting, Mr. Ramachandran said 12 districts — Ariyalur, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Erode, Karur, Namakkal, Pudukottai, Sivaganga, Tirunelveli, Tiruvarur, Tiruchi and Villupuram — had recorded 60% more rain than the average.
