A total of 800 passengers found themselves stranded at the heavily flooded Srivaikuntam railway station near Thoothukudi in southern Tamil Nadu on Sunday, December 17, as a result of heavy rainfall causing flooding in the region. The train was forced to come to a halt at the station due to unsafe track conditions ahead. Over the subsequent two days, authorities, grappling with challenging weather conditions, successfully executed evacuation efforts to rescue the stranded passengers.
Out of the 809 individuals marooned, 300 were rescued and relocated to a nearby school on Monday. Rescue operations for the remaining 509 passengers were deferred to the following day due to the unfavorable weather. As passengers awaited rescue, arrangements were made to provide them with food and water, courtesy of state police and local residents.
The initial response came from the Railway staff of the Madurai Division, who were the first to reach Srivaikuntam station. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) team from Tirunelveli, led by Inspector Praveeen Kumar, arrived with water bottles and other food items on Monday, navigating treacherous water currents using various modes of transportation, including trucks and jeeps. The team even had to traverse through chest-deep water for approximately 3 km to reach the stranded passengers. Subsequently, three helicopters from the Indian Air Force were deployed to air-drop food packets and water to those stranded in the area.
Following the railway team, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also reached the station after nearly 30 hours of effort. Collaborating with the Railway Protection Force and Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services, the NDRF commenced evacuation operations, ensuring the safe removal of all 509 passengers from the railway station by Tuesday evening.
The evacuation process required the stranded passengers to cover a 3 km distance on foot through areas with water below knee level. Subsequently, buses transported them to Vanchi Maniyacchi Station, where the railway medical team provided necessary medical assistance. Nylon ropes were provided to aid passengers wading through water, while the elderly and the weak were carried on stretchers with the assistance of the RPF and NDRF.
A special train was arranged from Vanchi Maniyachchi Railway station for their onward journey to Chennai, following the route of the Chendur Express. Simultaneously, of the 300 passengers accommodated at the school in Srivaikuntam, 270, from nearby districts, independently moved out of the school as the water receded. The remaining 30 passengers are currently undergoing evacuation with RPF assistance and will be transported by road to Maniyachhi Station.
