TIRUNELVELI/TENKASI: Heavy rain lashed Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts on Sunday, paralysing life and confining people to their homes. With more rain forecast, Tirunelveli Collector Dr R Sukumar and Tenkasi Collector A K Kamal Kishore declared holiday for schools and colleges in their respective districts on Monday.
Due to the extremely heavy rain in the Western Ghats, the water level in the reservoirs and the inflow into the Thamirabarani river increased on Sunday. In Tirunelveli city, the Kurukkuthurai Murugan Temple, which is located on the riverbed was flooded. Ambasamudram, Cheranmahadevi, Papanasam and Tirunelveli in Tirunelveli district, and Ayikudi, Tenkasi, Shengottai and Alangulam in Tenkasi district received heavy rain.
According to a report from the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Papanasam and Manimuthar dams received 6,178 and 2,974 cusecs of inflow, respectively. While the Papanasam dam has 77.17% (4,244 mcft) of water in its total capacity, the Manimuthar dam has 67.70% (3,730 mcft). Both of them are fast filling.
The Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve administration banned entry to Manimuthar waterfalls. The Tenkasi district administration also did not allow tourists to take bath in Courtallam Main Falls and Five Falls due to the heavy inflow of water. The rail underbridge in Tirunelveli’s Pettai was flooded.
Several residential areas in Ambasamudram, Kallidaikurichi and Vikramasingapuram were isolated from the mainland, surrounded by rainwater due to poor drainage facilities.
Banana plantations suffer heavy damage
Banana plantations in Melaseval, Prancheri, Chokkalingapuram and Gopalasamuthiram suffered heavy damage. Officials from the horticulture and revenue departments visited the villages to enumerate the loss.