The heavy floods, which claimed the lives of many and which left destruction in its path last December, was the biggest disaster witnessed not only by the people of Chennai but also to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which played a key role in rescuing several hundreds of persons, who were stranded during the deluge.
Although the NDRF has swung into action during several disasters across the country previously, including the collapse of a high rise in Moulivakkam in June 2014, in which 60 lives were lost, the magnitude of such a disaster was only realised after flood water engulfed most houses in areas along the Adyar such as Ekkatuthangal, Ramapuram and Manapakkam.
“For NDRF, the December floods was of a greater magnitude since its inception in 2006. Though we have during river floods and cyclones, the December deluge was different because we had our personnel on the ground where almost every place was under water. But, our training helped us rise up to the occasion,” NDRF’s Deputy Inspector General (South Sector) S.P. Selvan said.
Even though the 2005 Mumbai floods was one of the worst disasters in recent history, the NDRF had not been formed then.
“It was only in 2006 that the NDRF was formed and the floods in Chennai last year was the major urban floods, for which we worked,” he says.
Elaborating on the force’s experience during the floods, the officer acknowledges the cooperation of the State police during the rescue efforts. “The Tamil Nadu Police have given us a communication expert from their force, who helped in the inter-agency communication.”
The NDRF had used satellite phones and relied on gensets for communication when most of the mobile service providers failed during the deluge.
About 50 teams of NDRF personnel were involved in the rescue operations and had stayed in and around Chennai for several days till the water receded.
The force used inflatable rubber boats for easy movement but they also faced challenges from shallow waters and possibilities of sharp objects being submerged in the water. “Local revenue officials helped us in reaching the right places which required rescuing. But in some places, people were not willing to be rescued as they hesitated to be in the relief camps and had fresh water supply in their homes.”
Besides its 4th Battalion which has about 1,400 personnel stationed at Arakkonam, NDRF also has a Regional Response Centre at Adyar, which was positioned soon after the building collapse in Moulivakkam.
