VELLORE: Following heavy rain in Vellore on Saturday night, the Kalinjur and Dharapadavedu lakes in Katpadi reached their full capacity and began overflowing onto nearby roads and streets. The surrounding areas were inundated, and water entered more than 50 houses in SBI Colony and Mathi Nagar, which fall under Ward 12 of the Vellore Corporation.
According to residents, water from the lakes mixed with sewage began entering houses around 4 am on Sunday. Shakthi Kumar, a resident of SBI Colony, said, “We were all sleeping when water entered our houses. When I woke up, I saw smoke coming from the fridge and realised that the house was filled with over three feet of water. I didn’t know what to do with my three small children at home.” Kumar and his family later moved to his sister’s house for safety.
While some residents shifted upstairs as the water level rose, elderly residents took shelter in their relatives’ homes.
Residents said they now face heavy expenses as their furniture, cupboards, electrical appliances, vehicles, and other belongings were damaged after being submerged. “My car is completely submerged and it will cost me at least Rs 20,000 to repair it. Imagine if this keeps happening every rainy season,” Kumar added.
Another resident, T K Selvaraj, said the canal that is originally 20 feet deep narrows to just 3–5 feet near the Kalinjur lake, preventing rainwater from draining properly. “We have submitted numerous petitions and were assured that a new canal would be built in 2021. However, no action has been taken yet,” he said.
Residents placed sandbags in front of their houses to prevent further water inflow. The Vellore Corporation deployed JCB machines to desilt and deepen the canals in the affected areas.
