MAYILADUTHURAI: A record rainfall of 44 cm in 24 hours, highest in 122 years, pounded Sirkazhi in Mayiladuthurai district on Friday, leaving several parts of the town under knee-deep water.
Kollidam and Sembanarkoil towns in the district, too, witnessed intense downpour.
"Rainfall recorded in Sirkazhi on Friday was the highest since 1900," said Dr S Balachandran, additional director general of meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai.
The rainfall recorded in 24 hours in Sirkazhi ending 8.30 am on Saturday was 44 cm, with a major part of it -34.8 cm- occurring between 6 pm Friday and midnight. While Kollidam station recorded 31.6 cm rainfall, Sembanarkoil recorded 24.2 cm for the period.
"The night was unforgettable. I have never seen so much rain in one night,"said SKR Sivasubramaniyan, a 79-year-old trader from Thirukolakka in Sirkazhi.
The rains left the farmers distraught as nearly 30,000 hectares of paddy (Samba and Thaladi) crops were submerged under water.
Farmers across the region reportedly suffered huge losses.
T Mohan, a farmer belonging to Achalpuram, who didn't sow Kuruvai (first paddy) crop due to irrigation issues, said he sowed Samba crop in October but at least 10 acres of the crop are submerged in water. "The submgered crop cannot be retrieved," he bemoaned.
S Senthil Murugan, a farmer belonging to Thadalankoil, made an appeal to the government to compensate for the losses suffered by the farmers.
He sowed Thaladi as the second crop for this year. "I am afraid there will be nothing left," he said.
Meanwhile, five fishing boats have been damaged in Mayiladuthurai. At Poompuhar fishing harbour, a mechanised boat sank after its wooden hull was innundated while three other fibre boats fitted with motors were damaged badly.
D Kumar, a representative of the fishermen belonging to Poompuhar said that the tides towards the wharf were so rough that the vessels bumped against each other and were damaged.
"We need breakwater in the harbour to reduce the instability during the monsoon season. We also want the government to extend compensation to the losses suffered by us," he said.
Environment minister Siva V Meyyanathan inspected the flood-hit areas across the district and said, "the extent of damage will be evaluated once the water recedes and brought to the notice of the government."
Power outages were also reported in Sirkazhi, Mayiladuthurai and Sembanarkoil.
The staff from the electricity department were on duty to restore power supply.
Mayiladuthurai collector R Lalitha said, "The power supply is being restored gradually. We've provided shelter to over 16,000 people in relief camps."