35 More Villages Near Vikrawandi Under Water
VILLUPURAM: Another 35 villages near Vikrawandi were inundated as the district continued to see heavy rain on Thursday as well.
At least 50,000 tonnes of salt kept in the salt beds at Marakkanam got washed away. Minister P Mohan and Collector M Lakshmi visited the affected areas and interacted with people. Many villages across the district have been disconnected as floods in the South Pennai, Manimuthar and Komugi submerged the causeways to those villages. As the water level in the Varaga rose, 35 villages, including Sathanur, Ulagalampoondi, Sithani and Kuthalampoondi near Vikrawandi, were badly hit. Nearly 700 families were moved to safer places.
Water from Otteri lake near Vikrawandi surrounded the houses in VOC Nagar. So 75 families were accommodated in a government higher secondary school in that locality.
In salt farms, production was completely stopped as water entered about 3,500 acres of salt bed belonging to the Central and state governments. As a result, thousands of workers were rendered jobless.
Water from Buckingham Canal is posing a threat to the salt already produced ad piled up near salt beds, which is set to be taken up for refining in January. At least 50,000 tonnes of salt got washed away, though they were covered with tarpaulin covers. Sources said paddy and moong dal cultivated in 700 acres of land in Thirunavalur were inundated. Paddy and cassava planted in more than 500 acres of land in Vanur taluk were damaged. Meanwhile, minister Mohan and Collector Lakshmi along with a team of officials visited the flood-affected areas in Villupuram, Tindivanam, Vanur and Marakkanam. They inspected the water bodies in the area.
Many NGOs and clubs provided food, blankets and water bottles to the affected people, who have been accommodated safely in relief camps.
Meanwhile, the district administration is gearing up for more rain. Chief Secretary Manoj Parida said Karaikal was likely to get rains in the next 24 hours and the administration was ready to handle it.
2 Dead, 1 injured in Wall Collapse Incidents
Villupuram: Forty-five-year-old Ayyanar and 70-year-old G Veerapan died on Wednesday night at Valavanur and Villupuram when the mud walls of their houses collapsed on them. And G Daiyanithi, 10, of Ammanangkuppam, was injured when a wall of his house collapsed.