How 800 passengers stranded at Tamil Nadu railway station were rescued in 48 hours

Approximately 800 passengers were left stranded at a railway station after heavy rain triggered flooding in parts of Tamil Nadu. Here's how the stranded passengers were safely evacuated by the authorities over the past two days.

By December 19 evening, all 500 passengers from the station had been safely evacuated and transferred to buses prepared to transport them to Vanchi Maniyachchi Railway station.

Approximately 800 train passengers were left stranded at the heavily flooded Srivaikuntam railway station near Thoothukudi in southern Tamil Nadu on Sunday, December 17. The train had to be stopped at the station due to unsafe track conditions ahead. Over the next two days, rescue officials had to overcome challenging weather conditions to evacuate the stranded passengers.

Of the 809 stranded passengers, 300 were rescued on Monday and accommodated in a school nearby, while the rescue operations for the rest could not be carried out on the same day due to adverse weather conditions. The rest 509 passengers were rescued on Tuesday.

While the stranded passengers waited to be rescued, food and water were arranged for them with the help of state police and local people.

Here's how all stranded passengers were evacuated by the authorities:

Railway staff of Madurai Division were the first to reach Srivaikuntam station. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) team from Tirunelveli, under the supervision of Inspector Praveeen Kumar, rushed to Srivaikuntam on Monday with water bottles and other food items.

The rescue team had to brave extreme water currents and commute using different transport means such as truck and jeep. They also had to wade through chest-deep water for approximately 3 km to reach the stranded passengers

Later, three helicopters from the Indian Air Force air-dropped food packets and water to the passengers stranded in the area.

By Tuesday evening, all 509 passengers from the railway station had been safely evacuated.

The stranded passengers first had to cover a distance of about 3 km on foot, navigating areas with water below knee level. Afterward, they were transported by buses to Vanchi Maniyacchi Station, where the railway medical team provided medical assistance.

Nylon ropes were provided to assist passengers in wading through the water, and the elderly and the weak were carried on stretchers with the help of RPF and NDRF.

From Vanchi Maniyachchi Railway station, a special train was arranged for their further journey to Chennai.

Meanwhile, of the 300 train passengers accommodated at the school in Srivaikuntam, 270 passengers were from nearby districts. They moved out of the school on their own as the water receded.

The remaining 30 passengers are currently being evacuated with the assistance of RPF and will be transported by road to Maniyachhi Station.

The special train will follow the same route as Chendur Express via Kovilpatti, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, Tiruchchirappalli, Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore Port, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Tambaram.