VELLORE: The causeway at Virinjipuram, built across the Palar river, flooded due to heavy rains and washed away houses, uprooted electric lines, and cut off access to nearby villages. The causeway connected Virinjipuram and Kamarajapuram. The flooding also washed away a road by the river banks in Kamarajapuram.
“Over 19 houses were completely destroyed and the residents were moved to relief centres. Other residents vacated their houses, took their belongings, and moved to the centres,” a resident Prakasam told TNIE. “Electric lines that were erected on the banks and near the riverbed were uprooted. The situation does not seem to get any better since the water is gradually moving towards Kamarajapuram. We request the government to save the village before anything untoward happens,” a resident of Kamarajapuram, B Pari, said.
“We lost our houses and belongings and do not know where to go,” added another resident. Locals said they had witnessed flooding of this intensity about 30 years ago. This year’s flooding had cut off access to nearby villages. The causeway was a major link that people used to travel to and fro Gudiyatham, KV Kuppam, Vaduganthangal, and Vellore.
As a consequence of the flooding, the link was cut off forcing pedestrians and vehicles to take a roundabout route. Office-goers, students, and labourers are the most affected. Meanwhile, the police set up barricades a few metres from the riverbanks as part of safety measures. They have been deployed at the spots to ensure that nobody gets near the river.