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Heavy rains have paralyzed several districts of the state,
inundating entire neighborhoods, roads and railway tracks, days
after a cyclone hit India's south-eastern coast, causing
widespread damage.
"The (toll) number could change," federal Finance Minister
Nirmala Sithraman told reporters, adding that more than 40,000
people have been rescued so far and efforts are underway to
reach those still stranded.
The state is one of the major electronics and manufacturing hubs
in India. Some southern neighborhoods remained waterlogged on
Friday.
"We're struggling to get tractors and boats with food and
essentials through water in the worst-affected areas," said M.
Balamurugan, who along with other volunteers have been
distributing foods and essentials.
Tamil Nadu recorded over 64 mm of rainfall this week, more than
triple the 20 mm that would be normal at this time of year, the
weather department said, predicting more rainfall in parts of
the state over the next five days.
For some the floods are reminiscent of rains eight years ago in
state capital Chennai that killed 290 people and inundated large
swathes of the city.
(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam; Writing by Kanjyik Ghosh;
Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
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