December 3, 2015
Chennai: The threat of water-borne diseases looms over Chennai after incessant rains and floods. Hundreds have been displaced from their homes and are dependent on the food and relief material that is being sent by the authorities.
December 3, 2015
Chennai: The threat of water-borne diseases looms over Chennai after incessant rains and floods. Hundreds have been displaced from their homes and are dependent on the food and relief material that is being sent by the authorities.
Doctors are facing a tough task at hand with patients approaching them with various infections. "Lots of people come to us with fungal infections from walking in water for long. We have been treating patients with fever and some of them have diarrhea as well," says one of the doctors treating the flood-affected victims.
She also said that they are providing clean water to minimize that chances of water-borne diseases. "We are also providing food and water because contaminated water and food worsens the situations. We are providing water to people and we don't let them consume it from outside. Water-borne diseases are the real threat now," she said.
The rescue operation in the rain-hit areas is going on in full swing with the Army, Navy Air Force and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) working in tandem.
"Three teams of NDRF were flown in to Tambaram yesterday from Chandigarh while another one joined from New Delhi. "All assets of the IAF have been pressed into service and we will bring succour to people as early as we can," an IAF spokesperson said.
Railway stations have turned into impromptu shelters while hotels and rescue camps are bursting at their seams, as people rendered homeless are looking for a roof over their heads in the inclement weather.
Students, poor and needy have made the Tambaram station practically their home.
The weather for the next three to four days may get worse, with heavy rains predicted by met department. "We are trained during peacetime for such contingencies and we are all equipped to handle this disaster ably. And, we will do it," Air Commodore Gupta said.
Courtesy: IBN
