As Cyclone Fengal continues to wreak havoc across Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of seven victims who tragically lost their lives in a landslide caused by heavy rains in Thiruvannamalai district.
“I express my deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of those who died in this accident and have ordered that each of the families of the deceased be provided with Rs. 5 lakhs each from the Chief Minister’s General Relief Fund,” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said in a statement.
The victims were trapped under debris when a massive rock rolled down from a mountain, hitting the house of Rajkumar and his wife Meena (27). The couple and their five children were living in VOC Nagar, 11th Street in Thiruvannamalai. The incident occurred around 4:00 PM when Rajkumar learned that a tree had fallen on his house. Soon after, a large rock fell, burying the family. Rescue operations were launched, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed 39 soldiers to help search for survivors.
The Chief Minister has further stated that Cyclone Fengal has caused widespread destruction across 14 districts in the state, affecting around 1.5 crore people. The cyclone has inundated 2.11 lakh hectares of farmland and severely damaged critical infrastructure.
In light of the devastation, CM Stalin urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Rs 2000 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) immediately for restoration and rehabilitation work. Stalin has also requested the Centre to send a team to assess the extent of the damage.
In addition, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain alert for Tuesday, indicating more rainfall in parts of south India, including North interior Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. The IMD has predicted that a low-pressure area will develop over the Arabian Sea, potentially leading to further downpours in the coming days.