Tamil Nadu Weather Report: DMK's Mano Thangaraj Criticises IMD For Delayed Alerts

Taking cognizance of the flooded Tamil Nadu, state minister Mano Thangaraj held India Meteorological Department (IMD) responsible for not providing correct weather updates on time. Thangaraj said delayed forecasts made it difficult for the state government to provide help or rescue the stranded. In a tweet, minister Thangaraj said, "A significant issue was the time discrepancy in the weather alerts. The gap between the issuance of the Red Alert and the actual flooding was much shorter than what could have been ideal as some Western models exhibit in those countries."

"This critical delay in our forecasting system underscores the need for more immediate and accurate weather alerts. In countries following Western models, more accurate and immediate warnings enable better preparedness, minimising property damage, and reducing the number of people stranded," the minister said.

He also urged the central government to adopt proactive measures to address the situation.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin said he will seek permission from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the situation as a national calamity.

"As an immediate relief, I will ask for funds from the National Disaster Fund. Tamil Nadu has faced two disasters continuously, and I will urge PM to release the funds at the earliest," said CM MK Stalin adding that CM added rain never caused such damages in last 100 years.

Earlier, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami had called said the state government "administratively incompetent" which failed to tackle the situation, and provide relief to the people of Tamil Nadu.