People cheer as pre-monsoon rains lash south

MADURAI: Pre-monsoon rains lashed several parts of Madurai since Monday morning and brought cheers to people as the mercury dipped significantly.

Maduraiites woke up to pleasant weather as the sky was overcast. Sometime later, it started raining heavily in border areas of the district.

Neighbouring Dindigul district also witnessed good rains since 4 a.m. The heavy downpour continued till 10 am and the intensity subsided gradually as hours passed. A holiday was declared for educational institutions in Dindigul. The district registered an average of 144 mm until 8 a.m., sources said.

Some parts of Rameswaram and Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram district also experienced good showers.

T Perumal, national vice president, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Vadipatti, Madurai, said paddy farmers, who largely rely on dam irrigation, are awaiting the onset of the Northeast monsoon, which according to the IMD, is likely to happen on October 23. If catchment areas of Mullaperiyar dam and Idukki in Kerala received heavy rainfall, farmers in the district would take up paddy cultivation.

Kanniyakumari district continued to witness rains. As the inflow was significant, levels in the dams went up steadily. Nine huts were reportedly damaged in parts of six taluks in the district and strong winds uprooted two trees in Vilavancode and one in Kalkulam taluk, sources said.