CHENNAI, Dec. 31 (Xinhuanet) - The death toll in India's worst-hitstate of Tamil Nadu has climbed to 6,238, with 4,379 deaths in Nagapattinam district alone, a state government official said here on Friday.

    Ashish Chatterjee, Joint Commissioner in the state's Revenue Administration, Disaster Management and Mitigation Department, told Xinhua in his office that although the loss of life was heavy,the relief operation has also been geared up in the affected areas in the state.

    He said the identification and disposal of dead bodies was given top priority. So far almost 95 percent of the dead bodies have been retrieved and disposed of either by cremation or burial.     

    To help those affected in the 591 coastal villages, a total of 373 relief camps have been set up to provide accommodation and food to around 300,000 people.

    According to the official who is in charge of the disaster relief operation in Tamil Nadu, about 500 doctors have been sent to affected areas to provide medicine and vaccine to needy people.Materials like bleaching powder, lime, etc. have been mobilized and sent to the affected areas so that there is no outbreak of epidemics.

    A large number of earth moving equipment have been mobilized and sent to Nagapattinam and Kanniyakumari districts to remove obstacles and extricate dead bodies.

    Helicopter was also used to lift the dead bodies from Chinnavaikkal island of Cuddalore coast, he said.

    Meanwhile, to bring the life of the affected people back to normal, the state government has announced a relief of Rs. 100,000(2300 US dollars) for every deceased person which will be paid to the next of kin in the family. Besides, each affected family couldget 3 liters of kerosene, Rs. 1,000 (23 US dollars) for purchase of oils and condiments, and Rs. 1,000 for utensils and stove. Each family can also get Rs. 2000 (46 US dollars) for putting up a hut as a temporary measure.

    A separate rehabilitation plan to permanently shift these families to nearby safer locations with their consent and cooperation to provide pucca houses is being drawn up, Chatterjee added.

    Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday the central government was committed to providing all help for the relief and rehabilitation of the tsunami-hit people.

    The central government has announced an immediate allocation of Rs 5 billion (116 million US dollars) for the National Calamity Contingency Fund towards relief and rehabilitation in the affected states.

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