RAMANATHAPURAM: While coastal areas of Ramanathapuram received excess rainfall, there has been a moderate drop in rain in the interior blocks of the district. As per data, blocks including Kamudhi, Thiruvadanai and others received less than 200 mm rainfall, whereas coastal regions recorded more than 300 mm rain in the last one month.
According to meteorological department statistics, Ramanathapuram district received an average of 333 mm rainfall in November, a major chunk of the showers occurred in the coastal areas, where cloudburst was reported. Areas such as Mandabam, Rameswaram, Pamban and Thangachimadam areas recorded over 400-700 mm rainfall throughout the month.
However, several interior parts including Kamudhi, Keelakarai, Thiruvadanai, Thondi and RS Mangalam witnessed an average of below 200 mm rainfall throughout the month. Of these, Keelakarai received the least with just 138 mm rainfall. Notably, these areas did not receive any rainfall for most of the days, and hardly 10-15 days of minimal rainfall was reported in these regions.
While the district average rainfall for the cumulative month of October and November is 30% more than the actual predicted rainfall for the district, lack of adequate rain in certain interior blocks (rain-fed regions) have added to the irrigation woes of the farmers.
"Though at present the crops are safe with available water and sporadic rainfall, the later part of the season would be in need of water for irrigation. We hope for more rainfall in the interior parts of the district in the coming days," said Ravi, a farmer from Thiruvadanai.
Meanwhile, MSK Bakkiyanathan, president of TN Vaigai Farmers Association, stated that considering the welfare of the farmers in Ramanathapuram, the Tamil Nadu government should take action towards providing Vaigai water, which is released into the sea, to the interior blocks like Kamudhi and Kadaladi, Mudukulathur through canals, thereby resolve the prolonging irrigation woes.