Flood Insurance Claims Camps in Tamil Nadu: FM

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said a special camp was organised in Chennai for expeditious settlement of claims by general insurance companies in areas impacted by cyclone Michaung and similar efforts would be made in four districts of Tamil Nadu affected by excessive rains and flood.

Following Michaung cyclone, four districts--Tirunelveli, Toothukudi, Kanyakumari and Tenkasi -- received excessive rainfall leading to flood like situation in these areas.

Once the water in these districts recedes, she said, special camps by insurance companies would be organised to settle claims caused due to flood.

Under the aegis of General Insurance Council of India, 19 insurers organised a special camp on December 20-21 at Ambattur Industrial Estate in Chennai for expeditious settlement of claims related to the cyclone.

She further said spot settlements were made after survey of the affected industrial units.

As many as 31 people have lost their lives in the four districts while a total of 73,574 hectares of agriculture crop area and 35,796 hectares of horticulture area have been affected due to heavy rainfall during December 16-19.

With regard to rescue operation, she said a total of 87 sorties have been completed by various forces in the flood-affected areas so far.

The Centre has already released Rs 900 crore as the central share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) in two installments to be used in this financial year to Tamil Nadu, she said, adding further assistance by the Centre would be done based on the assessment of Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT).

The IMCT departed to flood-affected districts on December 19.