THOOTHUKUDI: Following continuous rains, Thoothukudi district received an average rainfall of 57 mm on Wednesday. In anticipation of severe rains, District Collector K Elambahavat declared a holiday for schools and colleges.
According to rainfall data collected by the IMD for the 24 hours ending at 8.30 am, Thoothukudi recorded 57 mm of rainfall. Since the start of the northeast monsoon on October 1, the district has received a total of 163.4 mm of rainfall, against the normal of 297.7 mm.
Rainfall data provided by the collector's office showed moderate rainfall of 22.29 mm across the district, with 45 mm recorded in Kayalpattinam and Tiruchendur, and 39 mm each in Vaippar and Kulasekarapattinam. Thoothukudi town recorded 27.50 mm of rainfall overnight, while Surangudi and Ottapidaram received 27 mm each.
Thoothukudi Corporation Mayor NP Jegan Periyasamy and Commissioner L Madhubalan inspected waterlogged areas and took steps to evacuate them. The rainwater stagnated along the main thoroughfares of Thoothukudi corporation areas, including Palayamkottai Road, Tamil Salai, and Lourdhammalpuram, while houses on Third Street of Rajiv Nagar were submerged.
An ex-serviceman from Rajiv Nagar said that rainwater stagnated on the street due to the lack of a stormwater drain. He urged the corporation to take steps to construct a drain canal for water evacuation.