Over 22 villages cut-off in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts due to rainfall

CHENNAI: Heavy rainfall that has been pounding across Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts have resulted in 22 villages being cut-off due to flooding in the region.

The districts which has been facing incessant rains over the past three days owing to cyclone Fengal. Uthangarai has recorded more than 50 cm rainfall in the last couple of days following which all the lakes and ponds in the surrounding areas have flooded and water has entered residential colonies.

Overflowing water near the Uthangarai bus stand, Tirupathur Road and town has washed away more than 50 vehicles and also submerged several villages, according to a Maalaimalar report.

People in the surrounding areas were rescued by National Disaster Response Force and moved to wedding halls and schools for safety and will remain there until the rain ceases.

Over 100 lakes in Uthangarai, Singarapet and neighbouring areas have flooded causing bridges in the area to submerge which has essentially cut-off traffic to more than 20 villages inclusion Kilikuppam, Katteri, Hanumanthirtha, Karapattu, Samalpatti etc that are located around it.

While people in these villages are unable to buy essential goods for their daily use, nearly 15 houses in Uthangarai have collapsed due to the heavy rainfall. With rescue personnel unable to drain the water due to continuous rains, electricity poles have collapsed leading to powercuts in the area. Disaster Response teams are working overtime to restore normalcy to the colonies in Uthangarai and its outskirts.

Similarly in Pochampalli, when excess water from the rivers broke the banks and entered the bus stand, police station and residential areas, vehicles and cattle were swept away. Over 2000 agricultural lands in the region have borne the brunt of the rain and submerged under water, destroying all the crops. Also, experts have warned people living around the Thenpennai River to evacuate and issued a flood warning.

With more than 90 per cent of the lakes reaching full capacity in Aroor, all the water bodies in the region are overflowing with rainwater. People living in Thillai Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, Pudhu Colony etc are suffering as rainwater has seeped into their homes. The excess water that is being released from the brimming water bodies have encroached agriculture lands and also stagnated on the roads, causing a lot of inconvenience to the public.

Adding more misery to the locals, landslides have occurred in the Chitheri mountain pass near Aroor causing huge rocks to roll down on to the roads where tragedy was averted as there was no vehicle movement. Crops like paddy, beans, turmeric etc that were cultivated in Chitheri panchayat areas that were ready for harvest have been washed away due to the rains. Similarly crops that were cultivated in agriculture lands near the Vachathi River have also submerged after the river flooded.

Flash floods continue to rage cross the Vathalmalai where footbridges in the area has been swept away causing traffic disruption. Owing to this, people from the surrounding villages are unable to step out for medical help or basic necessities. Revenue department officials from the region have set up a temporary bridge to facilitate movement in the area to help the public. Similarly, there have been incidents of flooding in Bommidi where rainwater has mixed with sewage water and entered the town, sparking health concerns.

The Kottaimedu causeway has completely submerged due to the flooding of the Veppadi River. Owing to this, the villagers living on the border of Salem and Dharmapuri districts suffered without any means of transport. More than 8 power poles have been swept away in the rain plunging the villages into darkness. Panchayat officials are in the process of constructing a temporary bridge to facilitate vehicle movement.