Let-up in rain comes as relief to delta districts

₹1 crore allotted for mosquito eradication drive

Taking stock: Rural Industries Minister P. Benjamin inspecting cyclone-affected Keezhaiyur in Nagapattinam district, on Saturday.

There was a let-up in rain in most parts of the delta on Saturday bringing a sigh of relief to officials and workers engaged in relief and restoration work in the wake of Cyclone Gaja.

The widespread rain on Friday and heavy overnight spell threatened to derail the restoration work. However, the rain abated by Saturday morning helping resumption of the work in full swing.

Valangaiman in Tiruvarur district recorded the maximum of 19 cm of rainfall in the delta, while Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam towns recorded 17 cm each.

Papanasam, Needamangalam, Kumbakonam (15 cm each), Kodavasal (14 cm), Pandavaiyar Head (12) and Mannargudi and Karaikal (11 each), Ariyalur, Tarangambadi and Nannilam (10 each), Tiruvaiyaru (8), Pattukottai, Adirampattinam, Jayamkondam, Thiruthuraipoondi, Thanjavur and Sendurai (7 each), Mayiladuthurai, Thirumanur, Lalgudi, Pullambadi and Perungalur (6 each) and Venbavur, Samayapuram, Aduthurai, Thanjavur, Sirkazhi, Kollidam and Orathanadu (5 cm each) were among the places which recorded heavy rainfall in the central districts in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after chairing a review meeting with Commercial Taxes Minister K.C.Veeramani on relief and restoration work at Tiruvarur, Food Minister R. Kamaraj observed that Tiruvarur district had recorded an average overnight rainfall of 120 mm.

Nevertheless, work to restore power supply was continuing despite the rain.

Power supply had been restored in 85 to 90% of areas in urban centres and up to 30% in rural areas.

On relief measures, he said continuous supply of food was being ensured in all relief centres.

Seventy-three health teams had been formed to carry out medical camps and screen people to prevent outbreak of communicable diseases in view of the cyclone and rain.

Health Minister C.Vijaya Baskar, in a statement, said ₹1 crore had been allotted for carrying out mosquito eradication drive in the cyclone-affected districts.

Apart from destroying mosquito breeding sources, anti-mosquito fogging would be carried out using hand-held and vehicle- mounted fogging devices.

Over 600 doctors and nurses were engaged in conducting medical camps and screening people in the affected districts.

As many as 3.27 lakh people had been treated at 5,166 medical camps conducted so far, he said.