Chennai: Rains under the influence of northeast monsoon hit normal life in several parts of Tamil Nadu on Monday where educational institutions remained closed even as the weather office forecast heavy downpour in the next three days in the state, Puducherry and coastal Andhra Pradesh.
In Chennai, office-goers faced a harrowing time due to water-logging and delay in train services. Several areas, including Mylapore (South Chennai), Vysarpadi and Perambur (North Chennai) have remained inundated since yesterday due to flooding.
The city has been experiencing continuous rains since Saturday night with the spell reduced to a drizzle on Monday. India Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rains in the next three days in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and coastal Andhra Pradesh.
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Heavy rains continue in Tamil Nadu; schools and colleges closed today
It’s wet, wet, wet as Chennai and suburbs take a pounding
Incessant rains continued in Nagapattinam district for the third consecutive day on Monday throwing normal life out of gear. Paddy crops in hundreds of acres remain submerged in this region. Till 8 am on Monday, Tarangambadi in Nagapattinam district recorded the highest rainfall of 54 mm. Other areas in the district have recorded over 45 mm of rainfall.
More than 10,000 fishermen did not venture into the sea for the fourth consecutive day due to the rough conditions. Senior IAS officer Shivdas Meena, who has been appointed the flood monitoring officer for Nagapattinam district, toured various parts of the district along with District Collector S Pazhanisamy.
Kollidam, Thalaignayiru and Ananthamangalam areas, which have been identified as flood prone areas, are under round-the-clock vigil. Meena told reporters that 12 cyclone shelters have been kept ready to offer emergency services.
Educational institutions in the neighbouring Puducherry and Karaikal also remained closed today in the wake of the downpour which has disrupted normal life.
The Union Territory recorded 11.09 cm of rain in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Monday, an official said.
Although there was respite in the rains since 9 AM, the sky remained overcast. Chief Minister N Rangasamy has directed Directorate of Agriculture to make a speedy assessment of the impact of the rains on horticulture crops.
Puducherry District Collector D Manikandan told reporters that 173 special relief centres have been opened to provide assistance to the people rendered homeless.
He said the Agriculture Department was assessing the extent of damage to farm lands with standing crops. "Once the water recedes the full picture would be available and quantum of relief to the rain-hit farmers would be provided without delay," the collector said.
The Health Department has also stocked medicines for the affected people, particularly in the low-lying areas. He said only one case of death due to wall collapse had been reported so far. The government has decided to extend a solatium of Rs 1.5 lakh to the bereaved family.
Manikandan said according to preliminary assessment, 98 huts have been damaged in the rains in the last few days. The quantum of relief would be decided and provided to the affected families in the next ten days, he said.
Puducherry would continue to receive heavy rains in the next two or three days, he said and appealed to the people not to panic, saying they should not pay heed to rumours about areas being flooded.
Veedur Dam in the Villupuram district in neighbouring Tamil Nadu was yet to receive water to its full capacity and there was consequently no threat to villages and farm lands in downstream Puducherry region, he said.
Round-the-clock control rooms with toll free phone facilities (numbers 1070 and 1077) have been set up in the collectorate premises, he said. Meanwhile, Puducherry Fisheries Minister P R Siva visited coastal hamlets of Kariakal district and supervised relief operations.
