Ramanathapuram: For the second consecutive day on Friday, heavy rain and strong winds battered the coastal districts of Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin, where district administrations had scaled up precautionary measures against the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Even as rainfall showed a slight let-up in the evening, strong winds, with their velocity ranging from 50 to 70 km/hour, swept across the region.
Coastal Erosion and Evacuation Efforts
Continuous high tides and strong winds caused infrastructure damage and called for emergency evacuations in the most highly vulnerable areas:
Evacuations: Due to the threat of severe high tides in Dhanushkodi, 25 fishermen and their families residing on the shore were evacuated to the Karaiyur Government High School. Tourists have also been barred from visiting coastal spots like Dhanushkodi.
Infrastructure Damage: The coastal road that connects Rameswaram to Olaikuda has been badly damaged due to continuous sea erosion and has affected local families.
Erosion Risk: As many as 100 palm trees on the beach at Kulasekarapattinam in Tuticorin district faced the threat of being uprooted as strong waves were eroding the soil around their roots. Already, ten trees have fallen while the coastal road of the area, including Soorakottai, was flooded and also covered in sand.
Bravery of Fishermen: Even though fishing was officially banned since Tuesday, many fishermen in Pamban braved the conditions to secure their anchored boats as they were afraid the high tide could make them slip away.
The District Collector of Ramanathapuram, Simranjeet Singh Kahlon, has toured waterlogged areas including Thoppukkadu in Pamban, appealing to the public to avoid all unnecessary travel outdoors due to strong winds.
Preparedness And Forecast Ahead Of Rain Surge
The authorities are expecting very heavy rainfall in the region over the weekend; hence, there is a coordinated emergency preparedness across several districts, including the Delta region.
Tuticorin Preparedness: Tuticorin Collector K. Elambahavath instructed all departments to stand by, made arrangements for ensuring food supplies in shelters and evacuating people wherever necessary ahead of the forecast of heavy rainfall on Saturday and Sunday. Officials have been maintaining vigil over crucial water bodies and areas prone to flood, such as Marudur, Thiruvaikundam, and Korampallam Anicut.
Delta District Alerts: Precautionary steps are also being accelerated across the Delta districts. Vulnerable locations identified include:
- Thanjavur: 154
- Tiruvarur: 195
Mayiladuthurai: 176 Nagapattinam: 68 Emergency Deployment: The personnel of the National Disaster Response Force and Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force have been deployed to critical spots in all four Delta districts.
First-level response teams for every block have been activated, comprising revenue, police, and fire services, while control rooms are in operation to manage rescue and relief efforts.
Bureau Report
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