THOOTHUKUDI: As heavy rainfall paralysed public life in Thoothukudi on Saturday, the district collectorate campus stood marooned making the premises inaccessible for public servants.
According to available data, Thoothukudi district received over 35 mm rainfall throughout the day, which resulted in the filling up of several tanks and kanmois. Breaches were reported at Periyapiratti kanmoi at Pudukottai. Over 4,501 chickens at a poultry farm in Kovilpatti drowned, and 101 huts were partly damaged, as stated by the disaster management department.
A flash flood triggered by the brimming Uppar Odai and tanks submerged the pathway leading to the collectorate campus. The officers, staff and the public waded through hip-level of water while exiting the collectorate campus. "The water level suddenly rose as Soreespuram tank started overflowing," said one S Sahararaj, while returning from the SP office. However, the gushing water did not enter the building as rainfall receded in the outskirts of Thoothukudi, an official said.
Around 12 streets of P&T colony were surrounded by stagnant water in the corporation area. The Uppar odai, infamous for flooding the Thoothukudi corporation areas, was brimming due to heavy rain at Kovilpatti, Kayathar and Ottapidaram. Eventually, the Uppar odai eventually filled up the Korampallam tank. "Of the total depth of 2.5m in the Korampallam tank, officials are instructed to maintain 1.89m as optimum level to discharge surplus water to avert any breakage. A surplus of 1,75,000 cusecs of water has been released from the Korampallam tank into the Bay of Bengal," said Collector K Elambahavath.
Further, the Buckle Canal stretching from Pudukkottai to Trespuram overflowed due to the floods at Uppar odai and the surface runoff water owing to the rain. When contacted, Mayor Jegan Periyasamy said that several storm water drains are draining the floodwater through 10 disposal points into the sea. Also, the UGD system is being operated continuously to reduce the stagnation. The waterlogging would come down once the rain stops, he said.
Meanwhile, fearing heavy floods, the public parked their cars and vehicles on elevated roads and bridges to escape loss. A large number of people were also seen panic buying essential commodities, sources said.
Trains to be operated from Meelavittan station
Due to water stagnation at Thoothukudi railway station, trains such as Thoothukudi-Mysore Express, Chennai Pearlcity Express, Palakkad Palaruvi Express and Mettupalayam Express will be operated from Meelavittan railway station on Saturday night. The Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli passengers, Thoothukudi-Maniachi and Maniachi-Thoothukudi passengers have been cancelled, said a statement from the Madurai division of railways department.