SPOT ASSESSMENT: Local Administration Minister, M.K. Stalin, inspecting rain-affected areas at Desigapuram in Virudhunagar district on Sunday. (Right) Vaigai river has copious flow of water due to opening up of sluices of the dam following heavy rain in catchment areas. VIRUDHUNAGAR: The State government has undertaken flood relief works on war footing, Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin said here on Sunday. After inspecting flood-affected areas in Virudhunagar district, he told presspersons that the Chief Minister had ordered the Ministers and officials to swing into action. He had also announced solatium to the families for loss of property and life. The Assembly also suspended the session for two days to facilitate Ministers and legislative members to visit rain-affected areas in their respective constituencies, Mr. Stalin said. The unusual rains had caused havoc in southern districts, including Virudhunagar, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Ramanathapuram, the Minister said and added that in Virudhunagar district alone, crops cultivated on 473.17 hectare had been damaged. Mr. Stalin said that flood relief package of Rs.2,000, 5 kg of rice, 1 litre of kerosene, sari and dhoti was being distributed to each of the affected family. Roads to the extent of 602.35 km were damaged in the rain in the district, the Minister said and added that 106 bridges and culverts had been damaged in the flash floods. Of the 106 bridges, four belonged to national highways, 91 to municipality and 11 culverts belonged to panchayat unions. Seventeen tanks had also breached, including two each in Tiruchuli and Virudhunagar unions, 10 in Rajapalayam union and one in Sivakasi union, he said. The District Collector and other officials were assessing the damage caused by the rain and would send a detailed report to the government, he said. Earlier, Mr. Stalin, accompanied by Ministers for Backward Classes K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran and School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu and District Collector V. Chandrasekaran, inspected paddy fields in Mamsapuram and Sirugulam areas. He then handed over the solatium of Rs.1 lakh to the bereaved family of R. Muthukrishnan of Virudhunagar who lost his life in the flash floods. Mr. Stalin also distributed flood relief to nine affected families of Dalavaipuram village at Kadambangulam (Rajapalayam). Later, he visited Mudugudi and Desigapuram villages. In Cuddalore, Electricity Minister Arcot N.Veeraswamy, along with Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam, inspected the rain-affected farmlands at Kothattai, Anjanallur and Chinnakumattai near here on Sunday. At Kothattai Mr. Veeraswamy interacted with farmers to ascertain the extent of crop losses. N. Adhilakshmi narrated the tale of woes as the watermelon crop on her land was totally damaged in the rain. The farmers also showed rotting crops to the Ministers. The Minister gave away a compensation of Rs 2,000 to Kaliamurthy whose house was totally damaged in the rain and Rs. 1,500 to Rajkumar whose house was partially damaged. Later, talking to presspersons Mr. Veeraswamy said crops such as paddy, black gram, green gram, groundnut and cashew on a total of 87,805 hectares were damaged in Cuddalore district. He said cashew on 29,000 ha had suffered 30 per cent damage. At the meeting held in Chennai to review the flood situation, the Chief Minister sanctioned Rs. 100 crore towards immediate relief. He announced a compensation of Rs 4,000 per ha of crop loss and Rs 2,000 for fully damaged houses. Mr. Veeraswamy said at Kattumannarkoil 29 sheep perished in the flash floods for which the owner would be given a compensation of Rs 1,000 a sheep. The District Collector would disburse the relief, he added. District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo, District Revenue Officer S. Natarajan, Cuddalore Municipal Chairman T. Thangarasu, and others accompanied the Ministers.