New Delhi [India], December 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday regarding the severe flooding affecting several districts in the state. According to government sources, the Prime Minister assured all possible support to Tamil Nadu in the wake of the flooding caused by Cyclone Fengal.
This call follows a request from CM Stalin, who urged the Prime Minister to release Rs 2,000 crores from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to aid restoration and rehabilitation efforts. Stalin also asked for a central team to be deployed to assess the damage caused by the cyclone.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the cyclone had submerged 2.11 lakh hectares of farmland and damaged vital infrastructure across Tamil Nadu. He emphasized that the storm had impacted 14 districts, affecting 1.5 crore people. In a post on X, Stalin stated, “Cyclone Fengal has wreaked unprecedented havoc across 14 districts of Tamil Nadu, affecting 1.5 crore people, inundating 2.11 lakh hectares of farmland, and damaging critical infrastructure. Given the magnitude of destruction, I urge Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Rs 2000 crore from the NDRF immediately to aid emergency restoration and rehabilitation efforts.”
Due to the heavy rainfall from Cyclone Fengal, schools and colleges in four Tamil Nadu districts will remain closed on Tuesday. In Nilgiris district, all schools were also closed on December 3, 2024, due to the ongoing heavy rainfall, as announced by District Magistrate Lakshmi Bhavya.
In a separate incident, CM Stalin announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the families of seven victims who lost their lives in a landslide caused by heavy rains in the Thiruvannamalai district. Stalin expressed his condolences and directed that each family of the deceased receive financial assistance from the Chief Minister’s General Relief Fund. The victims, including five children, were trapped under the debris in the landslide. The deceased have been identified as Rajkumar and his wife Meena (27), residents of VOC Nagar.
The aftermath of Cyclone Fengal is expected to bring continued heavy rainfall to several districts in Tamil Nadu.