The district administration has made necessary arrangements at 442 places ahead of the onset of the northeast monsoon season.
Evacuation centres at coastal villages had been set up at Vembar, Siluvaipatti, Keela Tiruchendur, Amali Nagar and a similar facility would also be set up at Kayalpatnam. Under the tsunami scheme, the infrastructure was established at a cost of Rs.11.46 crore, Collector M. Ravikumar said here on Monday. Around 3,000 people could be accommodated in each of these centres.
A control room had been set up and it would be operational round the clock. Wireless telecom facility had been set up at 19 locations to share information in any case of exigency.
Besides, mobile wireless facility was made available in 12 vehicles. Moreover, sand bags were kept ready and Public Works Department officials had been instructed to be on alert to check any breach of water from tanks.
Adequate medicine stocks
Adequate stock of medicines was available and officials of Public Health and Preventive Medicine department were on alert to render assistance to the needy.
The Collector said that 250 tonnes of milk powder were readily available and essential commodities such as rice, wheat, sugar and palm oil were also available adequately in ration shops. The Collector said the average annual rainfall in Tuticorin district was 662 mm and so far this year, 180 mm had been received. So far during October alone, 75 mm rains had been received. The district is largely dependent on the northeast monsoon rains. As far southwest monsoon season, the district experienced 60.7 mm and surpassed the average rainfall of 59.9 mm this year. During summer, from March to May, rainfall bettered the average amount of 110.9 mm after a record of 115.86 mm. But in January and February this year, rainfall was abysmally low with 11 mm against the average of 62 mm, he said.
