TIRUNELVELI/KANNIYAKUMARI: Even as Chennai and its neighbouring districts received a respite from the rains, the southern districts of the State including Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli were lashed with a heavy downpour on Saturday.
The incessant rains in the two districts flooded residential areas and roads mostly located near rivers and tanks. With the dams brimming, surplus water was discharged, bringing copious water to the rivers. In Tirunelveli, Radhapuram was most affected as water level reached the maximum in most of its ponds. Assembly Speaker M Appavu inspected the region.
District Collector Vishnu said the district received an average rainfall of 9.29 mm as of 8 am on the day. He said only the Papanasam dam’s water level has reached more than 90 per cent of its maximum capacity. As the harvest has ended, no paddy fields were affected, he added.
A landslide occurred between Eraniel and Kuzhithurai, on the Nagercoil-Tirunelveli railway line, which halted train services. The debris was later removed. As the Pazhayar river in Kanniyakumari was in spate, the Nagercoil-Tirunelveli NH was flooded near Ozhuginaseri bridge in Nagercoil town. Traffic came to a standstill.
At least seven houses were fully damaged and 58 houses were partially damaged in the district. A report said that 1,782 people from vulnerable locations including Nangandi, Manadi, and Thovalai, were shifted to relief centres.
Several streets in TN’s Nagercoil submerged; water enters houses
As dams were brimming, close to 35,000 cusecs of water was discharged from Pechiparai and Perunchani dams, rising the water level in Paraliyar, Kodayar and Kuzhithuraiyar (Thamirabarani) rivers. Water entered most of the houses situated on the banks on Pazhayar river near the Ozhuginaseri bridge.
The streets of Kothaigramam, situated near Pazhayar river in Nagercoil were submerged.The road towards Theroor was also flooded, making transporation difficult. A water resources department official said that the rising water in Pazhayar river was the rainwater from the hills and other areas.
Many roads and houses remain inundated
Water entered most of the houses situated on the banks on Pazhayar river near the Ozhuginaseri bridge. The streets of Kothaigramam, situated near Pazhayar river in Nagercoil were submerged. The road towards Theroor was also flooded, making transportation difficultKerala
Alert on, as Mettur dam level on the brink
The Mettur dam is likely to reach its full capacity of 120 ft before midnight on Saturday. The entire inflow of 24,000 cusecs would be released. PWD officials are communicating to collectors of Delta region on relocating people residing on the banks of Cauvery