Train No 20606 Tiruchendur – Chennai Egmore Chendur Express that departed Tiruchendur at 8.25pm on Sunday was stopped at Srivaikuntam, 33 km from Tiruchendur station, around 9.20pm after the floods washed away the ballast between Srivaikuntam and Seydunganallur section.The train could not be moved from this small station after the tracks and station were flooded.
There were 800 passengers onboard, and 300 of them could be shifted to a nearby school using four TNSTC buses and minivans. But the remaining 500 could not be evacuated as the water level increased.
Though NDRF personnel from Tuticorin rushed to Srivaikuntam station, they could not reach the station due to flooding and damaged roads.
Food was provided to passengers lodged in the school through local police.
An attempt was made to airdrop food using helicopters on Monday evening, but the chopper returned to Madurai due to adverse weather conditions.
The stranded 500 passengers were fed three times on Monday by residents of Pudukudi Melur, a hamlet 150 meter away from the station. “It was a tiny village with 30 houses. The villagers were equally suffering due to floods. But they brought all the provisions from their homes and started preparing food at Sri Badrakali Ambal Temple,” said N Suresh from Manthai Thirumangalam in Mayiladuthurai district.
After the villagers asked if any passengers could help them cook for such a huge crowd, many passengers, including Suresh, volunteered and cooked. Food included sweet pongal, lemon rice, tamarind rice and curries.
“They ensured that all of us were fed and taken care of. We did not even collect their names because we were so traumatised since there were children and elderly among the stranded. But we are very grateful to these villagers,” said Suresh’s wife M Maheswari, a professor in Government College in Mayiladuthurai.
Almost after 36 hours, Railway Protection Force personnel managed to reach the stranded passengers on Tuesday morning by walking on the tracks as flood water receded. Food was also airdropped from helicopters.
The NDRF team reached by noon and started evacuation. The stranded passengers were brought to Velur village where TNSTC arranged buses for the passengers. They were then taken to Vanchi Maniyachi railway station. A special train was arranged to Chennai that would depart at 7pm on Tuesday.
Medical teams were brought to the station to provide medical assistance to passengers, and food was also arranged for them.