Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Wednesday chaired an emergency meeting of officials from various departments of the union territory to review the situation arising out of heavy rains in Puducherry and Karaikal regions.
Preparedness of different departments to tackle the rain and likely impact of cyclone Fengal were also discussed.
A release from the office of the Chief Minister said Puducherry registered 7.5 cm of rainfall during the last twenty-four hours ending 5 p.m. on Wednesday and the Karaikal region recorded 9.5 cm rainfall during the same period.
The Chief Minister asked officials of the departments of Disaster Management, PWD and Municipality to ensure that all necessary steps were taken on a war footing with the India Meteorological Department issuing weather forecasts on the deep depression. The release said the IMD had forecast heavy rains in Puducherry and Karaikal in the next two days. Rangasamy directed the officials of the departments to ensure that people living in low lying areas were shifted to relief camps. A control room that would function round the clock has been opened.
Arrangements have been made to supply food packets to the people accommodated in the relief camps. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force from Arakkonam have been requisitioned to take up relief works.
The release said that sixty water pumps have been placed at the disposal of the municipals and revenue authorities to drain out rain water from low lying areas. Fishermen have been cautioned against venturing into the sea. The police have closed the entire beach road for people.
Speaker R Selvam, PWD Minister K Lakshminarayanan, legislators, District Collector A Kulothungan, Superintending Engineer of PWD M. Dheenadayalan, Senior Superintendent of Police (law and Order), R. Kalaivanan, and officials of Puducherry Municipality were among those who participated in the meeting.
All schools and colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal regions remained closed Wednesday as per the order of the government.