Southern districts drenched as monsoon gains momentum

CHENNAI: Rains pounded several parts of Madurai and other districts of the southern region since early hours of Tuesday. Madurai Collector KJ Praveen Kumar took stock of various precautionary measures, as the intensified northeast monsoon hit normal life.

Downpour in the catchment areas along the Western Ghats in the neighbouring Theni district caused a rapid surge in the inflow to the Sothuparai dam, reaching its maximum level of 126.28 feet.

Water level stood at 118.42 ft until Monday morning; however, incessant rains in the subsequent hours led to an increase of eight feet. As a precautionary measure, 252.37 cusecs of surplus water were discharged from the dam. Subsequently, a flood warning was issued by the PWD and people living on the banks of the Varaha River were cautioned not to approach the river.

A third flood warning was issued as the storage level of the Vaigai Dam touched 69 ft at 1 pm on Monday, against the 71 ft. The people living along the Vaigai riverbanks were advised to remain vigilant and move to safer places as 2,280 cusecs of surplus water were released through the river. The rainfall caused flooding in Suruli and Kumbakarai waterfalls, and bathing has been banned.

Catchment areas in Tenkasi, which are located on the foothills of the Western Ghats, received a considerable amount of rain, resulting in a rise in water level in the Gundar dam. After the level touched its maximum of 36.10 ft, the inflow of 148 cusecs was discharged from the dam, sources said.

In addition, fishing has been suspended off coastal Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari because of the inclement weather. Heavy rains pounded Thangachimadam, a coastal hamlet in Ramanathapuram district, which recorded 170 mm of rain. Its neighbouring coastal villages, including Mandapam, Pamban and Rameswaram, also received torrential rains recording 143 mm, 113 mm and 95 mm, respectively.

Ramanathapuram Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon inspected the rain-inundated areas at Thangachimadam, Madapam, Vethalai, Meenavar colony and Kalaignar Nagar and appealed to the personnel to expedite the draining of stagnant waters. The Collector met some inmates who had been evacuated to a relief shelter in Mandapam.

Meanwhile, near Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district, a 17-year-old girl was killed in a wall collapse. The girl was removed from the debris and rushed to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. However, she died despite treatment. The deceased has been identified as V Bhavani of Old Vellayapuram, Sivakasi. Thiruthangal police have filed a case, sources said.