Central team to assess flood damage in Tamil Nadu

New Delhi, Nov 25  The central government said on Wednesday a high-level inter-ministerial central team would make an on-the-spot assessment of destruction caused by floods in Tamil Nadu.

A statement issued here by the home ministry said T.V.S.N. Prasad, a joint secretary in the ministry would lead the team.

The team will include representatives of the ministries of agriculture, finance, rural development, drinking water and power from Delhi, representatives of ministries of road rransport and highways and health from Chennai and Central Water Commission, ministry of water resources from Bengaluru.

The team has been deputed following a request from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The team would leave on November 26.

Rains lashed four districts in Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore, Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram - during the last couple of weeks, killing about 180 people.

On November 23, Jayalalithaa sent a memorandum to Modi seeking central funding of Rs.8,481 crore for flood relief and immediate relief of Rs.2,000 crore.

Modi instructed hat financial assistance of Rs.939.63 crore be released to the state.