Stranded Passengers Of Tiruchendur-Chennai Egmore Chendhur Express Face Turmoil

Chennai

Passengers stranded at Srivakuntam Railway station for almost three days due to heavy rains from December 18 broke down emotionally when they reached Egmore railway station in Chennai on Wednesday.

The special train with rescued passengers from Srivaikuntam reached Chennai this noon around 1 pm. Passengers were stranded in Srivaikuntam for three days in heavy floods. When the passengers set foot in Chennai they expressed their gratitude for the Srivaikuntam people.

Passengers also said they struggled a lot on the very first day without food and milk. There was even no electricity, no network and they felt they were on some island without any connection. Southern Railway officials received the passengers at Chennai Egmore railway station. They underwent Medical inspection and also they were all provided with lunch.

Unprecedented heavy rainfall flooded Southern Districts on December 18 and 19. Rivers, lakes, and dams across the Southern District overflowed and many residential areas across Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Tiruchendu were submerged.

Meanwhile Tiruchendur-Chennai Egmore Chendhur Express which departed from Tiruchendur at 8.25 pm of December 17 was terminated at Srivaikuntam station by 9.19 pm of December 17. There were around 800 passengers on that train and District administration rescued 300 stranded passengers but the rest 500 were unable to be rescued due to heavy floods around Srivaikuntam. Passengers were stranded for three days and also struggled without food and other needs. Meanwhile, with the efforts from Indian Railways, Tamil Nadu Government, SDRF, NDRF and Army on December 19 all passengers were rescued safely.