Power disrupted, crops damaged due to gale in Tirupur

After a sustained period of sunshine, the sky opened up on Monday night with several areas receiving showers. But, it was the heavy winds that accompanied the rains that did the maximum damage as electric poles in Avinashi, Palladam, Uthukuli and Tirupur areas collapsed under its might.

While Tangedco staff were involved in repairing the damaged poles, several residential neighbourhoods remained powerless for the whole day on Tuesday. Officials said the power supply will be resumed as soon as the works get over. Meanwhile, the fire and rescue service personnel claimed that more than 200 trees got uprooted in several parts of the district. They worked overtime to remove the trees that blocked roads and found lying in residential neighbourhoods. A few two-wheelers and cars parked in the Tirupur fire and rescue service residential quarters sustained heavy damage as a tree fell on them.

Panic prevailed among passengers waiting at the Tirupur railway station as the steel roofing was blown away. They sought refuge in rooms fearing their safety.

Elsewhere, farmers in Avinashi and Sevvur areas claimed that the strong winds severely damaged their plantain farms. Karuppusamy, a farmer from Alangattupalayam in Vettuvampalayam panchayat, said that 1,800 plantain crops in his farm were destroyed.

Thousands of plantains grown in Sevvur, Papangulam, Vadugapalayam, Nambiampalayam, Pothampalayam and Sundakkampalayam were also damaged. Banana crops grown near Sirumugai in Coimbatore outskirts were also uprooted.