CHENNAI: Slow-moving cyclonic storm ‘Fengal’ has brought unprecedented rainfall to Villupuram and Puducherry, where it made landfall shortly before Saturday midnight. Torrential rains lashed Villupuram, Puducherry and surrounding areas from Saturday night, resulting in the union territory recording 49 cm of rainfall, the highest in its history, and the automatic weather station in Mailam registering 51cm, the highest-ever recorded in Villupuram district.
According to official sources, at least four people died in rain-related incidents in Puducherry, three in Tiruvannamalai and one each in Vellore and Chennai districts.
Schools in Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Dharmapuri and Salem, and both school and colleges in Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Puducherry and Krishnagiri, will remain closed on Monday due to the rains.
The record-breaking rainfall resulted in residential areas and arterial roads in Puducherry being completely flooded and the Uppanar canal overwhelmed. Parts of Villupuram district were also heavily inundated, however, no deaths related to the rain have been reported there, officials said.
On Saturday, between 8.30 am and 7.30 pm, Puducherry received 9.5cm of rainfall, while Mailam in Villupuram district, received 13.6cm. By night, the showers began to intensify and by Sunday morning — 24 hours ending at 8.30 am — Mailam had recorded a staggering 51cm of rainfall, followed by the union territory with 49cm.
Red alert retained for V’puram, Puducherry
In Puducherry, Pathukannu and Thirukannur logged 45cm and 43cm respectively, while Puducherry Town and Bahour recorded 40cm and 32cm respectively. In Villupuram district, apart from Mailam, Tindivanam and Nemoor also received extremely heavy rainfall, of 37cm and 35cm respectively.
While Semmedu logged 31cm of rainfall, Valavanur and Koliyanur both received 28cm and Villupuram Town recorded 27cm. Neighbouring districts of Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai recorded 23cm and 22cm of rainfall respectively.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai on Sunday, S Balachandran, additional director general of meteorology at the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), noted that on October 31, 2004, Puducherry recorded 21cm of rainfall, which was the highest till now. Officials said the 51cm recorded in Mailam is also the highest ever recorded in Villupuram district.
Earlier, the RMC had retained the red alert issued for Villuppuram, Kallakurichi and Cuddalore districts and the Puducherry region for Sunday as well. On Monday, heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Nilgiris, Erode, Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Dindigul districts, it said.
Heavy rains are expected in isolated places over Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Tiruchy, Karur, Madurai and Theni districts on Monday. Heavy rains are also expected in Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Erode, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul and Theni districts, on Tuesday, according to the RMC.
TN to ask centre to send teams to assess damage
Chennai: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday said that the state government will request the centre to send a team to assess the damage caused by cyclone Fengal in TN. DyCM Udhayanidhi Stalin and five ministers have been deputed to coordinate relief efforts in Villupuram and Cuddalore
Man steps on live wire, killed in Ambattur
Chennai: A 27-year-old man died of electrocution in Ambattur on Saturday night. According to police, Vignesh of Kallikuppam, was on his way back home from work when he accidentally stepped on a snapped electric cable. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival.