The Air Force Station in Tambaram is continuing to provide supplies to cyclone-affected areas in Chennai on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. Four Chetaks of the Flying Instructors’ School carried out air drops in South Chennai from Medavakkam to Puzhudivakkam metro station, covering eight locations. In North Chennai, operations were carried out from Manali Petro Chemicals through inner ring road to Nappalayam, also in eight locations, a Union Ministry of Defence statement said.
Approximately 400 kg of relief supplies have been distributed to hard-hit areas
This was in continuation of Tuesday’s relief operations when two Air Force helicopters dropped relief materials in Adyar and areas close to the Chennai harbour. A spokesperson from the Union Ministry of Defence said the Air Force Station, Tambaram was carrying out humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
“The relief material was dropped in the general area of Adyar and close to Chennai Harbour. Two helicopters were launched to drop 500 packets of food materials and rations for people stranded in cyclone-hit areas in Chennai that were cut off due to flooding,” he said.
More sorties would be launched to distribute relief supplies in other affected areas, he said and added that the operation was being conducted in close liaison with the Tamil Nadu government.
Navy personnel on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, helped people evacuate from inundated areas in Madipakkam and Kolathur using inflatable boats. About 150 people including elderly persons, pregnant women and children were safely evacuated by the Navy personnel.
A spokesperson of the Union Ministry of Defence said that on a request from the Greater Chennai Corporation, the Navy team comprising of divers, swimmers and inflatable Gemini boats was deployed to provide flood relief in the Madipakkam and Kolathur suburbs of Chennai from 2 a.m. on Tuesday.
In Madipakkam, they rendered assistance to stranded people in submerged colonies of Periyar Nagar and Ram Nagar and also covered areas in Kolathur, he said. “The teams assisted people stranded in residential colonies due to waterlogging in the area. The teams also provided help in assisting people from nearby areas. The relief effort is continuing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Army personnel also helped people evacuate rain-hit areas in Saidapet.
