THOOTHUKUDI: Heavy monsoon rain that lashed the district on Monday triggered two major incidents, including the electrocution of an elderly man and the collapse of a portion of the ceiling at the Ettayapuram bus stand.
Widespread water stagnation was reported across several parts of the Thoothukudi Corporation from early morning. K Palaniandi (75), a security guard from Naaval Nagar, was returning home after his night shift when he stepped into stagnant water near Ganesan Colony, where an overhead power cable had snapped during the night. He was electrocuted and died on the spot. Police from the Thoothukudi South station sent the body to the Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital for postmortem.
In a separate incident, a portion of the concrete ceiling at the Mahakavi Bharathiyar Memorial Bus Stand in Ettayapuram collapsed amid the continuous rainfall. No injuries were reported. Sources said the 30-year-old structure had developed cracks over the years and had become weak due to prolonged dampness. Commuters urged the civic body to take up immediate renovation work.
Meanwhile, jungle streams in Achankulam and Kottur near Kovilpatti overflowed, inundating over 100 acres of farmland. Farmers said the three silted streams draining into Eppodumvendran Lake had not been desilted despite repeated appeals.