Tamil Nadu, Dec 01
The regional meteorological centre in Chennai on Sunday predicted more showers in the next two days and issued a red alert for six districts in Tamil Nadu while torrential rain over the past two days claimed five lives. “Thiruvallur, Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Thoothukkudi, Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli districts in Tamil Nadu would receive extremely heavy rainfall (above 20cm) in the next 24 hours,” the IMD’s Chennai regional centre alerted. According to Puviyarasan, Director, Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) Chennai, Tamil Nadu will get heavy rainfall for the next two days. “In the past 24 hours, Thoothukkudi’s Sathankulam town had recorded 19 cm rainfall. Cuddalore had received 17 cm, and Thirunelveli district got 16 cm of rainfall. Due to the low-pressure area near Lakshadweep storms could occur in the South-Eastern Arabian Sea. So, fishermen should not venture into the sea for the next few days,” the RMC director told reporters. He said Tamil Nadu had received 39 cm of rainfall since October 1 during this North-East Monsoon season. Due to the heavy rainfall Duraikkanu (70) a resident of Moonram Sethi village in Thanjavur district, Ravichandran (50) from Paravakkottai in Thiruvarur district, Poongodhai (50), a physically challenged person in Ariyalur district died on Saturday as portions of their houses collapsed. Besides, 50-year-old Kandasamy died in Pudukkottai town when his two-wheeler crashed in heavy rain while Sheik Ali (46), a resident of Chennai Ambattur died after falling into a storm water drain Saturday night. Following the IMD alert, the Puducherry government on Sunday ordered schools to remain shut on Monday. The heavy rain has left several sub-urban areas of Chennai water logged. These include Shozhinganallur, Pallavaram, Tambaram, Nanmangalam and Selaiyur.
The rain has partially submerged more than 100 houses in the outskirts of Chennai. Chennai City Corporation has opened helplines for people who need assistance to drain out the water.
“We are ready to help people at any time. The corporation staffers are already on the job to drain out the water,” G Prakash, Chennai City Corporation Commissioner told the media.
Several places in Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Thoothukkudi districts have also been waterlogged.
According to the locals in Cuddalore, around 5000 houses in low lying areas of the coastal town have been marooned. About 500 people from KS Pettai in Cuddalore town have been forced to take shelter in a private marriage hall.
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister M C Sampath who visited the flood-affected areas in Cuddalore district said actions have been taken for draining the water.
“Around 1000 people have been evacuated from flood-hit houses. People have been moved to temporary relief camps. Food and Medical assistance have been kept ready,” Sampath told the media.
Farmers in the delta district said that the sudden rain has inundated more than 5000 acres of the Samba (a variety of rice) crops.
