Weather Bureau: 10/01/2006

IAS officers to be in-charge of Rain-Relief

Tamil Nadu Government on Saturday night announced the appointment of 10 IAS officers to co-ordinate flood relief works in rain-ravaged Chennai which had been witnessing heavy downpour for the past two days throwing normal life out of gear.

With the low-lying areas inundated in several parts of the city, the Government also ordered shifting of residents from affected places, an official press release said.

Local Administration Minister M K Stalin, who reviewed the flood and rain situation in the city with top revenue and police officials, instructed the Public Works Department to stock enough sand bags to plug breaches if reported in the rivers, canals and reservoirs in the city.

He also asked the fire services and police to keep plastic boats ready to rescue marooned people.
The minister gave instructions to remove uprooted trees from roads besides pumping out water for the smooth movement of traffic in the city.

Cooum, Adyar rivers and other waterways in the city should be desilted to avoid stagnation of water, he added.

Chennai city and its suburbs had been witnessing heavy rains since two days and many areas were under knee-deep water. In many places, flood waters created traffic bottlenecks.

Rains Savage Tamilnadu

Torrential rains have paralysed normal life in several parts of Tamil Nadu, particularly Chennai and Nagapattinam districts, while the death toll in rain-related incidents since onset of north-east monsoon rose to 35 on Sunday.

The goverment ordered over 70,000 people living in low-lying areas to be shifted to safer places like corporation school buildings and community halls.Local administrators have been put in-charge of providing food and other basic needs to the displaced people.

In the Cauvery delta district of Nagapattinam alone over 5,500 people have been shifted to places of safety.

The monsoon, which set in the state on October 19, has so far claimed 35 lives, Chief Secretary LK Tripathy told reporters after reviewing the flood relief measures with top officials at the secretariat.

Most of the deaths occurred due to the house collapse incidents, he said, adding that majority of the fishermen, who ventured into the sea braving heavy rains, had returned.

Coastal districts of Cuddalore, Villupuram, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari also reported heavy rain during the past two days.

Though rains spared Chennai on Sunday morning, the respite was shortlived as many areas of the city reported heavy showers by evening.

Power supply was restored in many areas during the day after being disconnected due to waterlogging on Saturday night.

Public transport system was worst affected as the buses had to wade through flood waters in many parts of the city.

Pechiparai and Perumchani dams in Kanyakumari district were full, while Tamaraparani, the lifeline of southern districts, was in spate.

Official sources say that a proper mechanism is in place to help the people.But, the general consensus is that the corrupt politicians & bureaucracy are going to make the rain even more worse.I hope the authorities do something before the famous blame-game begins between the DMK & the opposition.

My favourite song

Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day.

Rain, rain, go away.
Come again some other day.

Little Johnny wants to play,
In the meadow by the hay.

Rain, rain, go to Spain,
Never show your face again.

Rain, rain, pour down,
But not a drop on our town.

Rain on the green grass,
and rain on the tree,
And rain on the housetop,
but not on me.

Rain, rain, go away,
Come again on washing day.

Rain, rain, go to Germany,
And remain there permanently.

Rain, rain, go away,
Come on Martha's wedding day.