KRISHNAGIRI: Heavy rains brought by cyclone Fengal caused damage and flooding in the district. In Uthangarai taluk, three houses suffered partial collapses – a tiled roof, an asbestos roof, and a thatched roof house in Mittapalli, Poorukalapalli, and Elachiyur villages.
Seven-year-old Suthanthira Priyan, a Class 2 student from Mittapalli, sustained a minor leg injury when the side wall of his house crumbled. He was treated at Uthangarai Government Hospital and discharged. His family, including his mother and two sisters, sought shelter with neighbours. In Pochampalli taluk, a cattle shed owned by M Natraj of Puliyandapatti was also damaged.
Overflowing water from Periya Eri in Singarapattai inundated the BC Welfare Hostel located near a water channel. Eight students were relocated to another hostel in Uthangarai. Uthangarai Tahsildar Thirumal and Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer D Ramesh Kumar assessed the situation.
Heavy rainfall in the Jawadhu hills swelled Singarapettai Thirthagirivalasai lake, leading to the inundation of 55 hectares of crops in Nayakkanur, Nadupatti, and other villages. “Water will recede within two or three days, after which crop damage will be assessed,” agriculture department officials told TNIE.
The Pambar dam recorded an inflow and outflow of 3,345 cusecs as of 4 pm on Sunday. The water level reached 17.78 feet out of a total depth of 19.60 feet, prompting a flood alert for downstream villages.
Additionally, Amatan Kuttai Lake in Eggur panchayat of Uthangarai taluk, was breached due to the surge of water from Jawadhu hills. The district recorded 367.90 mm of rainfall from Saturday evening to Sunday morning. Average rainfall was 22.99 mm, with Pambar dam receiving 95 mm, Uthangarai 71 mm, and Penukondapuram 46.40 mm.