post rain alert, 10 teams rushed to south dists

“Ten teams of state disaster management squads have been rushed to coastal districts of Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari and the state fisheries department had been alerted to caution the fishermen,” Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said.

Responding on the issue, Congress leader KS Alagiri demanded adequate monsoon relief works by the state and sought the immediate intervention of Chief Minister to ensure the rescue of about 100 fishermen missing from fishing hamlets in Kanniyakumari.

“The state disaster management authority is in touch with the regional meteorological centre Chennai monitoring the movement of low depression near Lakshadweep and Maldives, commissioner of revenue administration J Radhakrishnan who reviewed the monsoon arrangements here told reporters.

Pointing out that under influence of depression, south Tamil Nadu particularly Kanniyakumari coast will receive heavy rains, Radhakrishnan said that the fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea. The fishermen in mid sea have been asked to return to the coast. He said that the well-marked low pressure in the Lakshadweep and Maldives have now turned into a depression bringing heavy rains to Tamil Nadu. Out of the 525 boats that went to deep-sea fishing, 520 boats have returned safely and the other vessels are being contacted, Radhakrishnan said.

According to Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authorities the water level in state dams are brimming and there is a steady inflow of water to dams in west and south Tamil Nadu. The hill stations in The Nilgiris and Coimbatore also received good rains on Wednesday and the normal life in Kodaikanal was disrupted due to heavy rains.

Following heavy rains in Cauvery catchment areas the storage level in the upstream dams are ranging from 95 to 99 per cent. The storage of Krishnaraja Sagar, Harangi and Hemavathy are encouraging and the surplus is drained into Cauvery river. The total outflow of the water from Karnataka into Tamil Nadu is 21,000 cusecs.

Interestingly, the Chennai reservoirs are also getting inflow with city receiving copious rains since last week. The inflow into Veeranam and Poondi reservoirs were around 2,000 and 1,400 cusecs respectively. The recent rains in Kancheepuram district had also helped the Chembarambakkam and the Cholavaram lakes to receive good inflow.