NDRF, State Disaster Response Force teams are on standby: Udhayanidhi

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Tuesday said NDRF and State Disaster Response teams are ready for deployment as Chennai and other parts of the state continue to witness rains.

The Deputy CM said that disaster response force teams of the state and Centre are on standby in 26 locations in Chennai and districts nearby. Also, 219 boats are ready for use for rain related tasks in Chennai and other parts of the state.

He told reporters that relief centres are ready in as many as 300 locations in city with capacity to accommodate 50 to 1,000 people. Such centres have all basic amenities including food and water. Also, 35 common kitchens are on standby.

In Tiruvallur, Chengelpet and Kancheepuram districts around Chennai, 631 such centres are ready.

In Chennai, 15 IAS officials have been deputed to monitor efforts to tackle inundation. Similarly, in the rest of the state, senior IAS officials have been deputed.

Across the state, 1,000 monsoon medical camps have been set up, which includes 100 such facilities in Chennai. As many as 13,000 volunteers have come forward to assist authorities in rain related tasks. In total, 65,000 volunteers are on standby in the state.

"Out of the 22 subways in Chennai, there are no hassles in 20 of them and only the Ganesapuram and Perambur subways have been temporarily closed," he said. Work to clear waterlogging is going on in over 300 places. "During the past 24 hours there has been no power cut," he added.