TIRUVANNAMALAI: Following incessant rains triggered by cyclone Mandous, Tiruvannamalai's Vembakkam recorded 25 cm of rainfall, the highest in the State on Saturday, according to district administration data. This was also higher than the district's average rainfall of 6.84 cm.
In the aftermath, 10 huts were fully damaged, and 25 were partly destroyed in the district on Saturday. Around 11 cattle died, 53 trees were uprooted and 174 electric poles were damaged.
Collector B Murugesh on Sunday inspected the Alathurai panchayat in Anakkavur union, where a causeway was damaged. In a press release, he said, that as an alternative measure, a small bridge would be constructed. An administrative sanction will be issued soon for the same, he added.
A check dam is set to be constructed across the Alathurai Lake, added the collector. He also inspected the compound wall of the Cheyyar government boys' higher secondary school that had collapsed in the storm. "A relief fund would be provided for people affected by the cyclone," he added.
Additional Collector (Development) Veer Pratap Singh, Cheyyar sub-collector Anamika, Assistant collector (Training) Rashmi Rani, and officials were present.
Meanwhile, Cheyyar recorded 18.1cm of rainfall, followed by Vandavasi with 8.7cm, Jamunamarathur with 8.1 cm, Kalasapakkam with 5 cm, Arani with 4.4 cm, and Kilpennathur with 4.04 cm, data showed Polur, Chetpet, Tiruvannamalai, Thandrampattu, and Chengam recorded less than 3 cm rainfall, it noted.
2,159 hectares of crops inundated in Ranipet
In Ranipet, crops including chilies, bananas, and other vegetables cultivated on 83.56 hectares were destroyed. A total of 103 farmers were affected, official sources said.
Apart from this, paddy, pulses, groundnut, and millets cultivated on 2,159 hectares, too, were damaged. Around 3,156 farmers in the district were affected, sources said.
In Vellore, the cyclone destroyed crops on 38.37 hectares, affecting 55 farmers. A total of 26 houses were partly damaged and three houses were fully damaged over the last two days, official sources added.