Tamil Nadu police form 34 disaster response teams across nine districts as northeast monsoon nears

The Central Zone Police have constituted 34 Special Disaster Response Teams across nine districts and placed them on standby in view of the northeast monsoon, as a precautionary measure aimed at preventing loss of life and damage to property from heavy rainfall, flooding and other natural disasters.

The teams comprise 374 police personnel who have been equipped and trained to carry out emergency rescue and relief operations. Each team consists of 11 personnel and is led by a sub-inspector.

The deployment is spread across the zone. Tiruchi has four teams, Pudukottai two, Karur three, Perambalur three, Ariyalur two, Thanjavur eight, Tiruvarur seven, Nagapattinam three and Mayiladuthurai two. The heavier deployment in the Cauvery delta districts reflects the flood history of that region.

Rescue equipment, safety gear and other essential material required for emergency operations have been kept ready. The personnel have undergone training in disaster response and rescue work, including rescuing people stranded by heavy rainfall and flooding, evacuating residents of low-lying and flood-prone areas to safer locations, and carrying out other emergency operations.

Superintendents of Police have been instructed to continuously monitor flood-prone areas in their respective jurisdictions and to coordinate with other government departments so that timely assistance reaches the public during emergencies.

Members of the public have been advised to avoid visiting rivers, ponds, lakes and flood-affected areas, and cautioned against attempting to cross flooded roads, causeways or submerged bridges under any circumstances. Residents of low-lying and flood-prone areas have been urged to strictly follow warnings and instructions issued by the authorities and to move to safer locations whenever advised. Those in need of immediate assistance can contact the emergency helpline numbers 100 or 112, according to a press note.

The northeast monsoon, which normally sets in over Tamil Nadu and neighbouring regions around October and continues into December, accounts for the bulk of the state's annual rainfall. The delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai are low-lying and depend on a network of canals and drains to carry away surplus water, which makes them particularly vulnerable when the Cauvery and its distributaries swell after sustained rain.

The formation of the teams is described by the police as a preparatory step taken before the monsoon intensifies, rather than a response to any specific incident. The personnel will remain on standby and can be moved to wherever they are required.

Officials have pointed out that preparedness measures work best when residents act on warnings. Evacuation advisories issued ahead of a heavy spell, rather than during it, give families time to move to safer ground and reduce the pressure on rescue teams who would otherwise have to reach stranded people in worsening conditions.

The press note also underlined the importance of coordination between departments, including revenue, public works and local bodies, so that warnings, shelter arrangements and relief supplies are handled together rather than separately.