THOOTHUKUDI: At least 4,700 tonnes of rice and wheat at FCI godowns in Thoothukudi were damaged in the flood.
According to sources, the godown on Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli NH contained 32,000 tonnes of rice and wheat bags when water seeped in last Monday.
The FCI campus has six godowns with a total storage capacity of 41,700 tonnes.
Water level went up to around eight feet inside the campus and over 20 tonnes of grains in each of the 235 lots, which accounted for nearly 4,700 tonnes of foodgrains, were spoilt.
“Officials and FCI staff themselves had removed sludge from the godown as labourers demanded high wages. The grains will be dried under the sun and good quality rice will be segregated,” said an official on condition of anonymity.