Chennai: With the looming downpour season ahead, residents of Velacheri in the city are gripped with fear and concern, even after the red alert was withdrawn.
Indian Red Cross Society, Chennai District Instructor, K Lawrence spoke to News Today about the kind of regime they are undertaking to ensure that all is well this monsoon.
A resident of Dhandapani Street at Velacheri, Lawrence is one of the five rescue trainers in the city. He was involved in the rescue works of the Porur building collapse and during the 2015-2016 deluge.
“The area is most vulnerable during the North East monsoon. Those living near the lake, river and canal must be cautious as these areas get affected first. Efforts to mitigate chances of flooding of residential areas must be taken as early as possible. People must vacate their houses immediately when authorities ask them to,” he warned.
Speaking about the flood-prone areas like Tansi Nagar, he said the most important factor is to ensure an uninterrupted flow of rain water.
“Any blockage in the drain pipes must be cleared immediately. Clogging in the channels was the prime reason that heightened the scale of disaster during the 2015 floods. Another reason is illegal encroachments, if water flows continuously then there is no reason for stagnation or flooding.”
Lawrence revealed that Indian Red Cross Society’s Tamilnadu instructors came together for a five-day training programme recently. When questioned about the kind of training given, he said,”It was a Disaster Management Training and we discussed about North East monsoon preparedness. Our focus was on handling emergency situations like floods, fire and earthquake. For the final day valedictory function Chennai Police Commissioner A K Viswanathan was also present.”
He also went on to say that his team frequently conducts drills at IT companies, colleges, schools and hospitals.
“The exercise is part of an early warning system and how to manage critical situations like floods; administration of first aid will also be taught at the programme,” said Lawrence. Let’s hope this year’s rains bring relief to the residents. For details, contact Lawrence at 9042843424.