Tamil Nadu: NDRF rescues 100 out of 500 passengers stranded at Srivaikuntam railway station

Madurai: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Tuesday rescued 100 of the 500 passengers stranded at Srivaikuntam railway station in Thoothukudi district. Efforts are on to rescue the remaining 400 passengers.

They waded through water (below knee level, as the water receded) for about 3 kilometers from the station to Velur (Tuticorin district). Buses have been kept ready at Velur and will be taken to Vanchi Maniyachchi station, from where a special train will take all the passengers to Chennai, he said.

The rescued passengers will be taken by bus to Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction railway station where a special train with 18 coaches has been arranged for them to reach Chennai. This station is 38 km from Srivaikuntam.

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A total of 800 passengers of the Chennai-bound Tiruchendur Express were stranded at Srivaikuntam railway station on Sunday night after they were stranded due to heavy rains.

On Monday, a pregnant woman trapped in Srivaikuntam was rescued safely by a helicopter.

While 300 passengers were shifted to a relief center at a nearby school at 1.30 am on Monday, the remaining 500 remained stranded in the train without food.

Efforts to drop food from Indian Air Force helicopters had earlier failed due to adverse weather conditions and rain, officials said. Despite these challenges, residents managed to distribute food to around 100 passengers at the station.

At 10.15 am on Tuesday, NDRF and Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials reached Srivaikuntam and dropped food packets from helicopters for the affected passengers. Food was also provided to the stranded passengers at the relief center with the help of villagers. Sources said that milk was served to the stranded children.