The Hindu : National : Day of disaster

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Saturday, Jul 17, 2004

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National

Day of disaster

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

DEATHLY ARRAY: Bodies of the children at the Government Hospital. Kumbakonam, as parents and others seek to identify them.

It was a tragedy of horrendous proportions for the temple town of Kumbakonam, which was in the news earlier this year for the once-in-twelve years Mahamaham festival. By noon today, the entire town was in mourning, numbed beyond belief. It was a tragic day in the lives of the children and their parents: their dreams lay shattered.

For the entire day there was intense activity in the town. The wailing continued all day, both in front of the school building and at the hospital, where dozens of children were still battling for life.

It took a while for the Fire Service and the police personnel to gain entry into the building to try and save some lives. But it was too late for those on the top-floor, thatched-roof classes. Some students in the ground floor and one half of the first floor were rescued and taken to hospital with serious burns. Many were in critical condition and had to lie and writhe in pain on plantain leaves — the best bet for such severe burn injuries.

For the officials, who were struggling to come to grips with the crisis, there was also the responsibility of receiving the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, who flew in from Chennai.

As night fell, there was little relief; only a pall of gloom. None could console or comfort the families of the young boys and girls.

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