TIRUNELVELI
Fire and rescue services personnel, along with other departments, conducted rescue drills along the Tamirabharani watercourse on Thursday as the river would experience flood during the northeast monsoon to commence in mid-October every year.
Over 80 personnel participated in the rescue drills organised in the river at Vikramasingapuram, Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Mukkoodal and Vannarpet and at Pachchaiyaar at Chidambarapuram near Kalakkad.
In the drill conducted near Perathu Selvi Amman Temple at Vannarpet, Revenue Divisional Officer, Tirunelveli, Chandrasekar, and Tahsildar (Disaster Management) Selvam participated. The three-hour-long drill was conducted with the help of inflated boats, which were used to rescue the ‘victims’.
The fire service men also conducted drill in the coastal hamlet of Kooththenkuzhi.
In Thoothukudi, the fire and rescue services drills were conducted at Sankaraperi, Authoor, Punnaikaayal, Kongaraayakurichi and Vaalasamudhram in which the ‘victims’ were rescued from marooned areas, flood, terrace of the marooned houses etc.
Besides giving first-aid to the ‘victims’, they were rushed to the nearby hospitals in the ambulances.
In Kanniyakumari district, Collector M. Aravind coordinated the drills conducted at Agastheeswaram (Pazhaiyaar Chozhan Thittai), Thovaalai (Thiruppathisaaram), Kalkulam (Valliyaaru Bridge and Eraniel), Vilavancode (Tamirabharani river), Thiruvattar and Killiyoor (Pallikkal and Munsirai) taluks.
Departments of Police, Transport, Public Health, Public Works, Revenue, TWAD Board, Local Administration, Animal Husbandry, Highways, Water Resources and Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation participated in the mock drill.
“We are fully prepared to face any adverse situation during the ensuing monsoon season,” Mr. Aravind said after the mock drills.
