Heavy rains: Two die in Madurai; trapped bus passengers rescued in Coimbatore
The highest rainfall was recorded in Tallakulam with 120 mm, while Periyapatti received 116.2 mm, and Madurai north recorded 110.6 mm.
(L-R) A flooded rail underpass in Coimbatore; a car crushed under a fallen tree in Kodaikanal
COIMBATORE: Heavy rain lashed various parts of Madurai and its neighbouring Sivaganga district on Saturday night, killing two of its respective residents.
Ganesan (56), a farmer at Kachirarayanpatti near Melur, Madurai, was electrocuted when he came in contact with a live wire. It had snapped after a coconut leaf stalk fell on the wire during rains. Ayyakannu (58) of Palavangudi village near Karaikudi, Sivaganga, was electrocuted in a similar way.
Meanwhile, two men – Gopi and Ramesh – residents of Kochadai, Madurai, were trapped in their car while trying to wade through an inundated railway girder bridge (subway) near Maninagaram. They were rescued by a patrolling cop and two residents. Fire and Rescue Services recovered the car stuck in flood waters.
A few houses were partially damaged in Melur and Vadipatti. Rainwater in four kanmois from Madurai East taluk were channelised through Vandiyur kanmoi. Some paddy fields in Chatrapatti were inundated.
The highest rainfall was recorded in Tallakulam with 120 mm, while Periyapatti received 116.2 mm, and Madurai north recorded 110.6 mm. Melur received 90.2 mm, Thaniyamangalam 98 mm and Puliapatti 90.6 mm.
Heavy rain and strong winds in Kodaikanal brought down a tree that fell on a moving car at Machur village, injuring the passenger and car driver.
In Coimbatore, a private bus bound to Gandhipuram from Press Colony had gone through the heavily flooded railway underpass in Sivananda Colony and got trapped on Sunday. Around 35 passengers were rescued by the Fire and Rescue personnel
Singanallur bus terminus had over 3-feet of water preventing buses from entering the premises. Heavy traffic snarl over Avinashi flyover after vehicles were not allowed beneath the flyover.
Meanwhile, coracle services were suspended and tourists barred from bathing at Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri following a surge in water flow. From 8,000 cusecs on Saturday, the inflow at Biligundlu, the entry point of Cauvery River into Tamil Nadu from Karnataka, increased gradually to 20,000 cusecs on Sunday, around 5pm.
Also water release from Mettur dam for delta irrigation has been reduced to 10,000 cusecs on Sunday morning from 12,000 cusecs due to widespread rains in Delta districts. Currently, the dam has 89.26 feet of water as against its full capacity of 120 feet, and receives an inflow of 6,445 cusecs.
Heavy rains pounded different parts of the district for over two hours in the evening leaving several arterial roads flooded. Water entered into houses in several low lying areas.
