CHENNAI: Five women working in farms died in lightning strike in two separate incidents in Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai districts on the first day of northeast monsoon on Thursday. Four women —V Kanitha (35), R Parijatham (45), A Chinnaponnu (40), and S Rajeswari (48) —died at Thittakudi taluk in Cuddalore, while M Venda (40) of Kalasapakkam block died in Tiruvannamalai.
In the Cuddalore incident, the women were involved in spraying fertilizer for crops when lightning struck them around 5pm, killing them on the spot. The bodies were sent to the Government Hospital in Virudhachalam for autopsy. Another woman, K Thavamani (38), lost her sight in the incident and is undergoing treatment at the Veppur GH.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), which officially declared the arrival of the NE monsoon over TN, Puducherry and Karaikal on Thursday, has forecast heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari and Tenkasi. Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi recorded the state’s highest rainfall of 15.4cm followed by Tiruchendur (14.6 cm) on Thursday. The district registered an average rainfall of 9.3cm. Tiruchendur Murugan temple and the Sivan temple nearby were completely inundated. Meanwhile, heavy rain continued in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi and ‘orange’ alert for very heavy rain has been forecast for the districts. Holiday was declared for schools and colleges in the three districts on Thursday.
The IMD has issued thunderstorm and lightning warning for several parts of TN, with gusty winds reaching up to 30-40 kmph till October 20. The rainfall is expected to persist for the next few days, shifting gradually towards western and delta districts by next week. On Deepavali day, heavy rain may be likely at isolated places over Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni and Tenkasi districts.
Tirunelveli district recorded an average rainfall of 4.85cm in eight hours between 8am and 4pm, with Naalumukku (14.7 cm), Oothu (14 cm), Kakkachi (13.2 cm), and Manjolai (10.5cm) recording very heavy rainfall. Several areas in Tirunelveli city reported severe water-logging and traffic movement was hit. Tourists have been barred from visiting Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Courtallam and Manimuthar waterfalls, and Thalaiyanai and Nambi Temples. Sankarankovil, Alangulam, Pavoorchatram and Kadayam in Tenkasi also reported severe inundation.
Heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruppur, Erode, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and Karaikal area over the next two days. On Saturday, heavy rain is likely at isolated places over Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Theni, Dindigul, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Salem. On Sunday, heavy rain is likely in isolated places in Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur, Theni and Tenkasi. In Chennai, the sky will remain generally cloudy, with moderate rain and thunderstorms likely in some areas.
