TIRUPPUR/ERODE: Heavy rains lashed rural areas of Tiruppur district on Friday late evening, disrupting normal life in various villages.
It has been raining continuously across the district, especially in the evenings for the past few days. On Friday evening, rain lashed suburban areas of Tiruppur city including those within the Uthukuli, Kunnathur, and Avinashi taluks.
Rainwater entered houses in Kuzhiyangadu, Mayilampalayam and Sivan Nagar villages. The villagers blamed the lack of adequate stormwater drainage and sewerage channels.
A side wall of a house collapsed in Devanampalayam village. The tile roof of the house also collapsed. However, none of the residents were injured as they were in the adjoining room, sources said.
M Velliangiri, a farmer of Kunnathur, said, "After about two hours of heavy rain, rainwater engulfed the houses in the villages. Now that the rainy season has begun, the district administration should also pay attention to the suburban areas. Rainwater drainages should be constructed in rural areas and existing drainages should be dredged. Even small water bodies are full. These need to be monitored and appropriate precautions should be taken."
Tiruppur District Collector Manish Narnaware said adequate precautionary measures will be ordered to be taken in rural areas.
Speaking to TNIE, Narnaware said, "Relevant officials have already been instructed to take all precautionary measures related to monsoon throughout the district. A control room with an emergency helpline is functioning. However, appropriate measures will be taken to maintain and dredge drains in rural areas. The vulnerable areas in Tiruppur district are not in large numbers. At the same time monitoring has been ordered in the areas with irrigation canals including the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) Canal."
Similarly, in Erode, rainwater entered more than 50 houses in Kattabomman Street near Kollampalayam after rain on Friday night. Residents blamed a blockage in the drain. However, the rainwater drained after a few hours. Rainwater also accumulated on the main roads in the area.
Arpit Jain, Commissioner of Erode Municipal Corporation, could not be contacted for a response on the matter.