Having established 490 relief camps in five districts that fall on the path of Cyclone Burevi, the State Government has made arrangements for accommodating over 1.92 lakh relocated people in these camps, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management R. B. Udhayakumar said.
On Thursday, the Minister visited Thoothukudi, one of the five districts on the predicted path of Cyclone Burevi and had discussions on the arrangements made with the officials.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Udhayakumar said 490 relief centres were ready in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanniyakumari, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts to accommodate 1.92 lakh evacuees from vulnerable areas. Twenty of these camps had been created in Thoothukudi Corporation area and 150 persons evacuated from vulnerable areas had been moved to two of these camps.
Of the 7,505 irrigation tanks in the southern districts, only 985 (13%) had reached their maximum storage level and all the irrigation tanks and the dams were being monitored constantly round the clock for influx and discharge of water.
Fishermen who had ventured into the sea in mechanised and country boats had returned to the shores and the fishermen involved in multi-day deep sea fishing, who were fishing beyond Lakshadweep, had been reached through the Indian Coast Guard. In Ramanathapuram alone, 1,200 mechanised boats had returned to their bases.
The Minister appealed to the public not to go near waterbodies and to the beach until normalcy returns.
Minister for Information Kadambur C. Raju said the 36 low-lying areas in Thoothukudi district have been brought under constant monitoring.
Mr. Udhayakumar also handed over keys of three new ambulances that have been stationed at Kayalpattinam Government Hospital and Eppothumventraan and Thenthiruppaerai primary health centres.
Meanwhile, people living close to Uppar Odai stream at Muthiahpuram near here were evacuated and moved to a relief camp. The Marine Police team that intensified its patrolling along the beaches appealed to the people not to go to the sea in the wake of the cyclone.
Monitoring Officer of the district, Kumar Jayanth, also had comprehensive discussion with Collector K. Senthil Raj, Additional Collector Vishnu Chandran, Corporation Commissioner V.P. Jayaseelan, Special Monitoring Officer (Police) M.C. Sarangan and Superintendent of Police S. Jayakumar on the preparations that have been put in place.
In the evening, Mr. Udaya Kumar had similar meeting with the Monitoring Officer of Tirunelveli, M. Karunakaran, Collector V. Vishnu, Commissioner of Police Deepak M. Damor, Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan, Corporation Commissioner G. Kannan and various department officials.
