Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived at INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu’s Arakkonam district to take an aerial survey of the devastating floods in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier tweeted that he would visit Chennai to take stock of the situation arising due to the devastating floods.
In continuation of rescue and relief operations by the Indian Air Force in flood affected areas of Tamil Nadu and on completion of airlift of four National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) teams from Delhi and 10 NDRF teams from Bhubaneswar to Arakkonam, four Indian Army Columns are being airlifted by the transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force today.
One C-130J from Tambaram to Delhi and Two C-17s from Arakkonam are expected to get back stranded passengers to Begumpet today.
The helicopter operations are on full swing wherein four Medium Lift Helicopter, one Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) and five Chetak/Cheetah are involved actively in rescue and relief operations.
One helicopter is positioned in Tirupati to aid the Andhra Pradesh Government.
The Indian Air force (IAF) on Thursday conducted operations to provide relief to those affected by the devastating rains in Chennai.
The IAF choppers dropped food packets to those stranded on rooftops of their homes in Chennai.
The incessant rains in Chennai and the coastal parts of Tamil Nadu over the last few weeks has wreaked havoc and disrupted normal in the state.
In the last 24-hours, Chennai has received 345 mm of rain, which is highest ever for a single day in the last 114 years.
According to the Home Ministry, 269 people have lost their lives due to the calamity in the state so far.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa also conducted an aerial survey of the flood affected areas of Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallu today.
The Chennai Airport will remain closed till Sunday. From today, Chennai bound flights will be landing at INS Rajali Airbase of Indian Navy at Arakonam which is about 60 kilometres from Chennai.
Heavy rains and water overflowing above the danger level at Railway Bridges in Chennai-Gudur section has impacted the functioning of trains following which the South Central Railway (SCR) has cancelled 12 trains and assured full refunds of fare for the same.
