By Monday night, the State-run 108 emergency response centre had received over 500 cyclone-related calls. A total of 113 ambulances in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts had been on high alert, and had provided services through the day, said an official of GVK EMRI, which operates the service.
“In the early part of the day, when the wind was fierce, we had calls relating to injuries due to tree fall, bruises, head injuries and lacerations. Our ambulances did get stuck in some parts of the city and we relied on a team from the Indian Red Cross Society that had electrical wood cutters ready as well as on the Chennai Corporation and the police,” he said.
The response centre was fully staffed and equipped with a power back-up, he said, adding that the ambulances too had inverters. Some private hospitals faced difficulties due to tree fall, blocked roads and no power. However, many had already stocked up on diesel to ensure services were not disrupted. Head and chest injuries were seen.
“Last year’s experience really helped us as we were well prepared,” said Aravindan Selvaraj, executive director, Kauvery Hospital, said the hospital staff as well as Corporation personnel cleared trees nearby. At Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital too, full services were running, said Bala Ramachandran, medical director. A doctor at Sri Ramachandra Medical College said that despite over 50 trees falling, services were not disrupted.
The State health department ensured the clearing out of fallen trees from hospital campuses on a priority basis. “Branches from the 108 campus, Madras Medical College, Kilpauk Medical College, Ponneri Government Hospitals and other primary health centres were cleared. A tree that had fallen at the Institute of Child Health was also removed,” said director K. Kolandaisamy. He said ensuring medical treatment for those in shelters was the priority, as well chlorination of water and surveillance for potential diarrhoea cases.
At Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, as of 6.30 p.m., a total of 34 cases had been seen, a senior hospital official said. “These have been minor injuries — small cuts and lacerations. Some patients have been kept in for observation,” he said.
