Kalam to survey rain-ruined Cuddalore

     Chennai: President APJ Abdul Kalam will undertake an aerial survey of the worst-affected areas of Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu on December one. President spoke to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa this morning and enquired about the flood situation inTamil Nadu and expressed his grief at the loss of so many lives due to the torrential rains. On the following visit of Kalam, the Chief Minister said she would present detailed information related to the damage caused to crops and property, including the ongoing relief operations taken by her Governement. Another 10-member Central team has been sent to the state, headed by Union Joint Secretary D S Mishra. During the visit, the team is expected to meet Senior Government officials later in the day and on Wednesday. "The team would split into five groups and visit different affected districts," said Mishra. He added, the report will likely to submit within a week.

     Earlier, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had sanctioned an aid of Rs.500-crore to carry out immediate relief operations in flood-affected areas of Tamil Nadu. The package was approved following a report submitted by a Central team after assessing the damage caused by floods. On Sunday, Home Minister Shivraj Patil along with Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Union Minister of State for Home, S Raghupathy, had visited the flood affected areas of the state to take stock of the situation.

     Meanwhile, in the districts of Cuddalore, Tiruchirapalli and Karur, over 200,000 people have been displaced by the rains. Overall, the floods have caused havoc in at least 12 districts of the southern state. Rescue work in one of the worst affected districts of Cuddalore district, which continues to be flooded, went ahead with boats being sent by the administration to rescue affected people. Most of the people in Cuddalore have been put in temporary relief camps. Tamil Nadu state was the worst hit by the heavy rain and storms that paralysed life in southern India, flooding roads, snapping power and phone lines and disrupting flights.

Central team visits Madurai to assess flood damage

      Madurai: A two-member Central team visited Madurai today to assess the damages caused by recent floods there. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha has asked for more relief, saying the five billion rupees already announced by the Centre was not enough. Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Finance Minister P Chidambaram, after a visit to the flood-hit areas, had announced the relief package. A Central team, which visited the 15 worst hit districts, had already submitted its report, and now another team has also reached the state to assess the damages after fresh bouts of heavy rains inundated the region. "We are a part of the Central team. The Central team has been divided into five teams. Four teams are visiting other places. We are here. We are assessing the damage. We have seen the crop damage, the road damage, the homes that have been destroyed, the breaches. We are making the assessment, " said Ranjan Kumar, Director of Expenditure, Union Finance Ministry and also a Central team member. Though the rains have stopped, residents are still battling the after-effects of the floods, such as water-borne diseases, lack of clean water supply, blocked drainage systems and waterlogged and damaged streets. Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have struggled to cope with torrential rain last month that has claimed over 200 lives alone in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu was the worst hit by the heavy rain and storms that paralysed life in southern India, flooding roads, snapping power and phone lines and disrupting flights.