Life hit as rain lashes many districts

Coimbatore district has so far received a total of 674 mm of rainfall as on Thursday. “This is the total average annual rainfall received by the district. Coimbatore has received its annual share months ahead and what comes further will be in excess. It is likely to continue for the next three more days,” said a district administration official.  

People in Annur, which received thunder showers, claimed to have experienced mild tremors around 8 pm. Panicked residents ran out of their houses after vessels rolled. However, Annur Tashildar Palanisamy said that no tremors were reported in the area.

In Ooty, tourists were left disappointed as boating services were suspended because of the rain. The downpour, which started around 10 am, caused inundation in most of the arterial places such as Commercial Road, Lower Bazaar, and Charring Cross. 

Similarly, tourists were barred from visiting Monkey falls due to heavy flooding following rains in Valparai and upper regions. 

In Salem district, heavy rains poured out all through the night forcing the district administration to declare a holiday for schools on Thursday. In Erode, some low lying areas were inundated due to rains. Meanwhile, several areas across the delta districts were battered by rain for the third consecutive day on Thursday. 

The rural pockets of Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Pudukkottai districts which witnessed intermittent rains throughout the night on Wednesday were lashed by downpour on Thursday also. However, it was moderate in places like Karur and Perambalur. Nagapattinam received a maximum rainfall of 61.8 mm while Karur received the lowest recording 4.5 mm rainfall. The moderate showers in Thanjavur was timely as it would help in raising the nursery for paddy crop, said B Balasundaram, a farmer from Peravurani. “The rain has also saved thousands of coconut trees from wilting,” he added.

However, Kuruvai farmers have postponed the harvest for the next week expecting some respite from the rain. 

It was a wet Thursday in southern districts too as widespread showers were witnessed in different parts of Madurai and neighbouring districts. 

In Theni, many parts of the district experienced rains for most part of the day on Thursday. In the wake of the IMD’s rain alert for the next few days, the district administration has initiated adequate measures to tackle the situation, said Collector Pallavi M Baldev. 

First responders have been formed in all villages across the district. Sixty vulnerable places, including Kumili, have been identified and were being monitored constantly, she said.  Bathing has been banned at Kumbakarai and Suruli falls in Theni district and Courtallam in Nellai district In Thoothukudi, fishermen, who ventured into sea some days ago, have been asked to return to shores before October 5, Collector Saandeep Nandhuri said. 

Ramanathapuram too witnessed widespread rains and nearly 1,400 mechanised boats did not venture into the sea on Thursday. However, there was no much activity in the sea, Deputy Director of Fisheries, Kathavarayan, Ramanathapuram said.

Kanyakumari Collector Prashant M Wadnere said the district administration with the help of the ICG and Navy has asked the fishermen move to nearest shores if they were not able to return to Kumari.