New Delhi/Chennai: The Tamil Nadu National Congress president SS Alaigiri has slammed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for accusing the Tamil Nadu government of not managing the recent floods in the state and taking enough proactive measures to prevent loss of lives and property.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Alagiri stated that the heavy rainfall on December 3 and 4 in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Chengalpet and Kancheepuram were unprecedented and inflicted widespread damage in these districts.

The Tamil Nadu government had worked its best to restore normalcy through a string of measures. Under the situation, heavy downpour ravaged the southern districts of Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari, on Dec 17 and Dec 18, this year, he said.

Many ministers and IAS officers were asked to take adequate measures to bring things in order in these districts, Alaigiri said.

He said that the state government was only demanding special funds be released from the National Disaster Relief fund.

The heavy rainfall in the four districts of Tamil Nadu claimed a total of 31 people and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and communication systems.

On December 22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Tamil Nadu government did not take adequate measures to prevent extensive damage even as the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, using its ultra-modern equipment including three dopplers, had forecast on December 12 that torrential rains were expected in the four districts - Tenkasi, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin on December 17.

Chief Minister M K Stalin had accused the India Meteorological Department of failing to issue timely warnings about the extreme rainfall.

Sitharaman said Chief Minister MK Stalin was attending a meeting of the INDIA alliance in Delhi instead of overseeing the disaster relief preparations.

On the funds released to Tamil Nadu, the Union Minister said every year the State Disaster Response Force receives funds from the NDRF.

"At the beginning of this financial year (April 2023), the opening balance of Tamil Nadu's SDRF was Rs 813.15 crore. Of the total Rs 900 crore allocated to TN, the first installment of Rs 450 crore was already released. The second installment of Rs 450 crore was also released before the cyclone. So, we have released the entire fund earmarked for this year Rs 900 crore, to Tamil Nadu," she noted.

Till December 21, as many as 42,290 people had been rescued, but 31 people lost their lives in the calamity.

Around 800 stranded train passengers at Srivaikuntam railway station were safely accommodated in a nearby school with coordinated efforts from various agencies.

The Home Ministry has been monitoring the situation continuously since the onset of the rains, Sitharaman said.

The Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard deployed helicopters for rescues, with a total of 5,049 people rescued by the National Disaster Response Force, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard, she said.

Central agencies initiated rescue operations even before the visit of Chief Minister M K Stalin and state government officials.