TIRUVANNAMALAI: Tiruvannamalai collector K Tharpagaraj on Thursday inspected VOC Nagar on the Annamalaiyar Hills, where a landslide had killed seven residents in December 2024.
Ahead of the northeast monsoon (NEM) gathering pace in the district, the collector checked if the precautionary measures were being taken in the area to avert a similar disaster, and enquired with the officials if the site has been affected by rain recently.
He also enquired about the soil condition of the area with the team surveying it, and discussed with the officials about how to evacuate the public from the area and where they would be sheltered in the face of a disaster.
Speaking to TNIE, Tharpagaraj said, "The inspection of the site is over. Now, discussions have to be held with the departments concerned to assess preparedness and decide further action. Presently, a team of geologists from Delhi are surveying the soil on the hills to understand potential risks." He added that, in case of any emergency, relief centres have already been set up in the nearby schools.
According to officials, the work on clearing the garbage in the area and water channels is progressing. "Only if the water channels are clean, can water flow free without causing any destruction," said one of the officials.
During the inspection, the collector was accompanied by Tiruvannamalai SP M Sudhakar, district revenue officer R Ramapradeepan, district forest officer Sudhakar and officials from other departments.
It may be recalled that the landslide in VOC Nagar, triggered by cyclone Fengal occurred on December 1, 2024, when a rock weighing 40 tonnes fell on a house and killed seven people including five children.
