Southern districts in State gear up to face cyclone

They are on high alert; control rooms, relief centres set up

December 03, 2020 01:34 am | Updated 03:40 pm IST

The southern districts in Tamil Nadu are geared up to face Cyclone Burevi, State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister R.B. Udayakumar said on Wednesday.

The Minister, who was on a tour to inspect the coastal pockets of Ramanathapuram district, was accompanied by Special Monitoring Officer Dharmendra Pratap Yadav, District Collector Dinesh Ponraj Oliver and others. He took stock of the level of preparedness at Pamban, Thangachimadam, Arichalmunai and other areas.

 

‘Preparing for cyclone’

Addressing a press conference, the Minister said as soon as they received the weather forecast from the IMD officials, the State government machinery started meticulously preparing for the cyclone. “We are on high alert. All officials have been entrusted with responsibilities. Persons, especially fishermen in the coastal stretches of the southern districts, have been asked to stay indoors and not venture into sea,” Mr. Udayakumar added.

Apart from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Coast Guard, INS Parundu and the police, personnel from the Public Works Department (PWD), Revenue, Fire and Rural Development departments were also present at designated locations. Currently, there were 3,500 first responders in Ramanathapuram district and 209 relief centres, including 104 schools, 20 colleges and 50 kalyana mandapams, he said. Mr. Udayakumar said out of the 641 PWD tanks and the 1,122 rural tanks, only 10 had touched the maximum water levels so far.

District administrations in Ramanathapuram, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi and Tenkasi have functioning control rooms. Sand bags, electric posts and high-powered saw machines have also been provided to face any eventualities that may arise after the cyclone passes. Control rooms were functioning round the clock and people could reach it at 04567-230060, Mr. Ponraj added.

In Tirunelveli, Monitoring Officer Karunakaran, accompanied by Collector Vishnu, visited irrigation tanks at Nangnuneri and Vijaynarayanam, both of which get water from the Manimuthar dam. The officials also inspected a multipurpose community hall at Koottapuli, one of the relief camps set up by the district administration in the coastal areas.

Meanwhile, NDRF personnel visited Karuppanthurai, Kailaasapuram and Vannarpettai as they are situated close to the Tamirabharani watercourse.

In Dindigul district

District Collector M. Vijayalakshmi, in Dindigul, said there were 84 locations identified as “vulnerable” to heavy rain. In Kodaikanal hills alone, 15 teams have been positioned. The entire ghat section was being monitored by surveillance teams. In the event of landslides or tree falls, NDRF teams would be deployed.

Monitoring Officer Ramesh Chand Meena took stock of the essential commodities being kept with the T.N. Civil Supplies Corporation and visited a relief centre in the district.

Meanwhile, in Theni, Collector M. Pallavi Baldev said 66 relief centres were ready to be occupied for those who may have to move from their dwellings in the event of heavy rain in the district. Apart from first responders, boats have also been kept ready.

Monitoring Officer A. Karthik said people have been asked to stay indoors for the next 48 hours.

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