Cyclone Fengal: One electrocuted as rains lash western districts; tourist spots Ooty, Yercaud deserted

COIMBATORE: Moderate to heavy rains lashed most parts of western districts due to the impact of cyclone Fengal on Sunday.

Unlike in the coastal regions, no major untoward incidents were caused by intense rains. But one farmer was electrocuted in Dharmapuri district. Krishnan (67), a farmer from Thalapallam village in Palacode, had attempted to switch on the motor near his farm well when he suffered an electric shock and died on the spot. His body has been sent for a post-mortem to Dharmapuri Government Hospital.

Due to floods, vehicle movement was suspended on the Selambai-Avaloor causeway in Dharmapuri. “More than 200 people in our Selambai village were stranded and were unable to reach Avaloor and Kottapatti villages even for our essential needs because of the flooded causeway. A solution could be found only if a high-level bridge is built,” claimed villagers.

Due to rains, hill stations, including Yercaud, Ooty, and Kollimalai, looked deserted without tourists. Traffic was disrupted on the Yercaud ghat stretch due to mud slips and tree falls in multiple spots, including a 40-foot bridge and Pagoda Point. Similarly, boulders rolled down the ghat road in Kollimalai, blocking vehicle movement.

In Ooty, thick mists and rain added to the misery of tourists and people. Due to poor visibility, vehicles moved slowly with their lights on, even during the day. In Krishnagiri, a breach in a pond near Uthangarai inundated farmlands, and a boy was injured as three houses were damaged in the rains. In Coimbatore, the skies remained overcast with intermittent drizzles throughout the day.