Rain wreaks havoc in Tamil Nadu, toll reaches at 61

Chennai: With rain predicted for the next five days due to formation of a fresh depression, Tamil Nadu may not get the breathing space it needs to allow normal life to resume.

Rain began again on Thursday evening, especially the northern region, disrupting public transport in several districts. With reports of 11 deaths in the last 24 hours, rain-related casualties in the state have reached 61.

Five people died in wall collapse in Kancheepuram, three drowned in Thiruvallur district and two more lost their lives coming into contact with live electric wire in Thiruvanamalai. Barely a few state-run transport buses were plying, while Chennai’s suburban network and the MRTS metro trains were suspended due to waterlogged tracks. Trains from southern districts also arrived late.

Bad weather forced authorities in Chennai’s domestic and international airports to reschedule more than 40 flights since Thursday night. “My flight to Sri Lanka has been rescheduled more than 10 times,” a passenger at the airport Indira Wickramasinghe said.

Meanwhile, the Met department said the low



pressure area formed over Bay of Bengal on Thursday is moving towards Tamil Nadu. “Due to this, isolated heavy to very heavy rain may occur over coastal Tamil nadu and Puducherry, besides north-interior districts of Vellore, Thiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram in the next 24 hours,” a senior Met official told. While the average rainfall for Tamil Nadu over this period of northeast monsoon is a mere 49 mm, a staggering 257 mm rain fell in the space of a week due to the depression, the Met official said.

Latest weather bulletin said Kancheepuram, the worst-hit area this season, recorded an unprecedented 34 cm rains in the last 24 hours, while Thiruvallur district recorded 21 cm downpour during the same period. PWD sources said revenue officials have to issue flood alerts and evacuate people, especially from the banks of rivers and water bodies which may burst as a result of continuous rain. “More than one lakh people were evacuated from low-lying areas across the state and were lodged in relief camps,” a senior IAS official monitoring relief efforts from the control room at the state capital said.

With rescue teams continuing to supply drinking water and distribute food and medicines, Cuddalore district and its surrounding areas are limping back to normalcy after the devastation caused by last week’s cyclone.