People sending SOS can share geographical coordinates during flood: ADGP

Tamil Nadu Police advise flood-prone residents to share geographical coordinates for easier rescue during floods.

People from flood-prone areas in the State have been advised to get ready with geographical coordinates of their locations which would help rescue teams to easily locate them during search and rescue operation during the floods.

“We have asked Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police to give a public advisory, especially to the people in flood-prone areas, to share their coordinates in terms of latitude and longitude while sending SOS,” Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) S. Davidson Devasirvatham told The Hindu in Madurai on Sunday.

He recalled the challenges faced even by army personnel in reaching out to the people in distress in marooned areas of Thoothukudi district during the December 2023 floods. “With flood everywhere, the helicopter could not locate the exact spots from where people were sending SOS. Even dropping of food packets became challenging in the initial days as the entire region was covered by a thick sheet of water after floodwater from Tamirabharani ouflanked on both sides downstream Srivaikuntam,” he added.

Mr. Davidson said the availability of geographical coordinates could have helped the helicopters in easily identifying the locations. People can get ready with their geographical coordinates through Google Maps using their mobile phones and convey this along with their residential address.

With the Indian Metereological Department predicting heavy to very heavy rain in various parts of State in the next few days, Tamil Nadu Police have been put on high alert.

Along with State Disaster Response Force, the police have been asked to keep ready equipment and tools for rescue and relief work.

“The Director General of Police has asked the SPs to identify vulnerable areas that could be affected due to flood and cylcone. They have been asked to get ready in touch with local fishermen for operating boats for rescuing people from marooned areas,” Mr. Davidson said.