The southern districts of Tamilnadu are totally submerged under water after a heavy downpour which couldn’t even be predicted by the IMD or any other state agency. The heavy floods, at the scale which was not witnessed in this state since 1871, have caused immense devastation with more than 40 reported dead and more than two lakh acres of land submerged. The flood waters have not drained fully even after many days.
 
This month Tamil Nadu also witnessed the heavy impact of cyclone Michaung in Chennai and surrounding districts of Northern Tamil Nadu. Now the current disaster is being faced by four worst affected districts, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari. Thoothukudi was the most affected where some parts of the district have no access at all. And the next is Tirunelveli. The water was flowing more than 10 feet high on roads which meant flooding of all houses at the radius of two km around all water sources, including Thamirabarani river and several canals.
 
All businesses are affected, all hutments and dwellings along the river and canals are washed away, even concrete houses are not spared. The life-long earnings like hutments, household and consumer items including mobile phones, of poor and the lower middle-class people are swept away by the flood.
 
The extent of damage is not assessed yet. It was a downpour that caused a rainfall of 332 mm in 24 hours in some places. The government’s own claim is that more than 28000 hectares of agricultural lands are damaged, and around 400 km of roads are damaged. The relief camps are not able to accommodate all the people affected by the flood.
 
A CPIML team comprising Tamil Nadu state secretary Asaithambi, RYA leader Dhanavel and AISA leader Pandikumar have reached Tirunelveli to undertake relief efforts. Comrades G Ramesh, state standing committee member and Ganesan, SCM also joined the team, from Tirunelveli.  

The CPIML has demanded from the government to declare floods in southern districts of TN a national calamity; food, clothing and shelter to the flood affected; the govt should undertake the responsibility of repair, renovation and construction of lost hutments and houses; to provide for the livelihood of flood affected until the normalcy is restored; proper compensation for the farmers who lost the crop and for the land damaged; the mega constructions responsible for flooding should be removed forthwith; the officials and contractors responsible for the negligence should be duly punished, and the people along the banks of Thamirabarani river and canals in the districts should be provided alternative shelters in another area without affecting their livelihood.

In such a situation, we appeal to you all to join the relief measures and contribute to the CPIML Tamil Nadu Flood Relief Fund.

Issued By
Prabhat Kumar
On Behalf of the
Central Committee, CPIML Liberation
22 Dec 2023

Contributions for the Relief may be deposited to the following accounts:

Account Name:
Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) (Liberation)
Account No.: 0940101025511
IFSC No: CNRB0000940
Bank: Canara bank
Branch: Ayanavaram, Chennai 600023.

And

Account Name: CPI(ML)
Account No.: 90502010057518
IFSC Code: CNRB0019050
MICR No.: 110015388
Bank: Canara Bank
Branch: Nirman Vihar, Delhi – 110092