CHENNAI: Fire and Rescue service personnel have played an important role in conducting rescue operations aftermath of cyclone Vardah struck the city and its suburbs. Besides removing fallen trees, they have rescued over 42 persons who were affected by the cyclone and evacuated 1500 people from low-lying areas.
Immediately after the cyclone struck, electricity supply was snapped in most parts of city as electric posts and transformers were uprooted and damaged. The personnel recalled how they played major role restoring to power supply in the southern parts.
On Wednesday, a substation in Sholinganallur was fully surrounded by water and the staff of Tangedco(The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation) was not able to reach the place to rectify the damage. On receipt of a call from the department, Fire and Rescue Service personnel immediately swung into action.
C.Karthikeyan, Assistant District Fire Officer said, “We deployed boats and took the Tangedco officials to the spot. We crossed 7 to 8 ft depth of water and reached the tower which carried high-tension cables. The staff undertook the repair work and restored the power supply.”
Similarly, following an alert from police personnel, R.Surya Prakash, station officer, Guindy, rushed with his team to Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam and rescued an octogenarian who was caught in his car after a tree fell on it.
Mr. Suryaprakash said, “We saw the old man caught inside an Maruthi 800 car which was almost crushed. We brought him out and sent him to the hospital. The tree which fell on the car was also removed.”
The personnel also rescued birds which lost shelter due to cyclone. A fire officer said, “Several large size birds including owls were struggling after they lost shelter in trees. We rescued them and kept them inside a chamber.”
M. Shahul Hameed, Joint Director, Northern Region, said over 1100 personnel have been deployed across the city and its suburbs. We have constituted 108 teams in Chennai and 60 teams in Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram for rescue operations. The personnel worked in 218 places in Chennai to clear over trees and have rescued 42 people.
“In Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, we worked in 80 places and cleared 423 trees. Our personnel have evacuated 1,467 people from the low-lying Ponneri area,” said Mr. Hameed. EOM
