 "Central team likely to visit rain-hit districts in south Tamil Nadu")
An inter-ministerial central team is likely to visit Tamil Nadu on Wednesday to assess the damage caused by unprecedented flooding and rainfall in four southern districts over the last two days.
Chief Minister M K Stalin who was supposed to inspect the flood-hit regions today, would visit tomorrow, the government said.
As many as 10 people have lost their lives in the record rainfall that occurred on December 17, 18 wreaking havoc in several parts of Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts.
Kayalpattinam (a municipality in Tuticorin district) received the highest amount of 1,192 mm of rains in two days while Tiruchendur received 916 mm.
CM Stalin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday and sought an interim relief of Rs 2,000 crore for rain battered districts to bolster ongoing rescue efforts.
Ahead of his meeting with the PM, Stalin told reporters that he would visit Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts today.
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However, an official release issued on Tuesday night said as local administrations were expected to be present in the affected districts owing to the central team's visit on Wednesday, the Chief Minister would arrive in Madurai tonight.
He is expected to visit Tuticorin on Thursday, the release said.
The central and state government agencies, including Army, Navy, AirForce, National Disaster Response Force and SDRF are currently engaged in relief and rehabilitation works.
Nine helicopters along with 323 boats were also involved in the rescue operation.
Meanwhile, the Southern Railway has cancelled nearly 19 trains due to waterlogging in the rain affected districts today while rail traffic through Tirunelveli attained normalcy after the Tirunelveli yard was declared fit for train movement.
The local administrations of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin, the worst affected districts, are taking all measures to ensure supply of essentials while electricity connections to residences and commercial establishments are expected to be completely restored in a day or two.