Monday, December 27 2004 10:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: With the spectre for Tsunami still haunting the affected persons and places, especially in the worst affected areas of Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu, rescue and relief works continued in full swing today (Dec 27, 2004) in the State.

According to police sources, the combined death toll in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, had touched nearly 2,500, with at least 400 persons dead in Cuddalore and nearly 1700 in Nagapattinam. Over 300 bodies were now in the three Government hospitals at Cuddalore, the sources said.

The sources said 196 bodies have so far been found in Chennai alone. At Pondicherry, the death toll was nearly 300, according the sources said.

Meanwhile, an Indian Airlines special flight, carrying relief materials, left here for Colombo this morning. Another special flight is scheduled to take off for Colombo at about 10 hrs (IST), the sources said.

In a related development, a military flight has arrived in Chennai and is proceeding to Port Blair. The same flight is expected to return later in the day carrying some dead persons, airport sources said.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who arrived here to review the situation in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, told reporters at the Chennai Airport that the State was doing its best to meet the situation and was presently looking for logistical and transport facility.

On the assistance to the Island republic of Sri Lanka, affected by Tsunami, he said already two ships had been despatched to Colombo for relief work.