Death toll in bus mishaps in Tamil Nadu 67

     Chennai: The death toll in Friday's accident in which flash floods swept two buses off a bridge in Ramanathapuram and Thanjavur districts of Tamil Nadu, has reached 67. Meanwhile, local villagers and police have rescued 30 more passengers. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 each to members of the deceased families, while those who sustained serious injuries would be paid Rs 15,000 and those who had minor injuries would get Rs 6,000 each from the Chief Minister's public relief fund. District authorities said though they had taken adequate safeguards, it was an unfortunate accident. The State Transport bus, going from Tiruchi to the temple town of Rameswaram, was stopped by policemen and villagers as it approached the Sanaveli earthen bridge past midnight. The driver was asked to be cautious while negotiating it. But the bus was washed away in a sudden surge in the flow from the stream.

    "Unfortunately even though we have taken precautions not to allow any vehicle either bus or scooter (over the bridge), but inspite of advice of local police on the banks of the jungle stream this bus, which was carrying 73 passengers, overshot instructions and within 100 meters the bus overturned," said K.Sellamuthu, District Collector of Ramanathapuram, where Sanaveli village is based. In the other mishap which occurred at Kondikulam, a private bus from Pattukottai to Aranthangi plunged into a canal at Kondikulam, killing 30 passengers. Since Monday, heavy rains -- caused by a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal -- have lashed Tamil Nadu, causing widespread flooding. Over 30 people have died, mostly due to wall collapses and electrocution from fallen power lines. State officials said at least 200,000 people have been displaced from their homes in coastal districts. A coastguard helicopter was dropping food packets to marooned villagers.