MADURAI: Eleven people, including two minors, marooned on the roof of their house in a flooded area near Palani, were rescued in a helicopter on Tuesday, following instructions from Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.
The floods were caused by the heavy showers received in the last four days which caused canals, including the Nalathangalodai and the Karasavaikal in Kalipatti, to overflow.
The house in question is the only one situated in a field that got flooded quickly owing to the surrounding area being mountainous.
As many as 11 people from two families were trapped on the terrace of this house. The district administration immediately pressed ahead with rescue operations with the rescue officials in action. But none of the four fire engines could access the area due to the heavy rains and increased water level.
The Collector immediately alerted the Chief Minister who instructed the aerodrome at Sulur in Coimbatore to provide chopper services. “Since the State Fire and Rescue personnel could not reach out to them following heavy rains in the area, the Chief Minister ordered to seek the assistance of the IAF and National Disaster Response Force personnel,” an official release said. A 40-member team from the National Disaster Response Force from Arakkonam also reached the spot by road to assist in the operations.
The helicopter reached the area around 2.30 pm and by 3.45 pm, all 11 people, including 14-year-old Varshini and 16-year-old Surya, were rescued. They were rushed to the Palani Government Hospital for immediate medical attention.
According to an official source, the region recorded 202 mm rainfall which is reportedly the highest in the State.