COIMBATORE: Several low-lying residential pockets in Coimbatore were inundated on Monday as a surging Noyyal River, swollen by heavy rains, triggered overflows across local tanks and flooded homes and roads.

The river, which had remained largely dry for months, saw discharge surge to 1200 cusecs on Monday, filling check-dams along its course and pushing several tanks to their full capacity, resulting in flooding in residential areas.

At Selvampathi Tank, rising levels forced surplus water into a clogged channel bound for Big Tank, submerging houses and streets in Ashok Nagar, Prabhu Nagar, Savithri Nagar, Chetty Street and Sundakkamuthur. Trapped residents endured a sleepless night as water entered their homes.

Similarly, an overflowing Selva Chinthamani Tank flooded roads and houses in Selvapuram, while in Vellalore, water from the overflowing Rajavaikkal channel entered nearby houses, prompting officials to clear obstructions to facilitate drainage. Residents of Koniamman Temple Street and the Madurai Veeran Temple locality were evacuated and accommodated at a nearby school.

The Coimbatore Corporation deployed 40 high-capacity motor pumps to drain water from the affected areas. Minister V Sampath Kumar, Collector Pavan Kumar G Giriyappanavar, Corporation Commissioner Katta Ravi Teja and Mayor R Ranganayaki inspected affected spots.

Meanwhile, the Nilgiris saw respite on Monday after three days of torrential downpours. Officials said 80 per cent of restoration work was complete, though vehicular traffic would take days to normalise due to fresh rockfall threats.

The Mettupalayam-Coonoor road remained closed for a third day following a rockfall at the 13th hairpin bend, with traffic diverted via Kotagiri. The three-day deluge triggered 88 landslides, uprooted 61 trees, damaged 23 houses, and knocked out a transformer alongside 11 power poles across the hill district.