Unprecedented rains flood over 4,000 houses in Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Thoothukudi

CHENNAI: As unprecedented rainfall pounded Tenkasi, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts across the past two days, over 4,000 houses across these districts are surrounded by floodwaters, said a Maalaimalar report.

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More than 2,000 houses are partially submerged in Tirunelveli town alone, with over 50 houses in Sindhu Poondurai locality, which is near the Tirunelveli Junction bus stand, getting inundated at around 3 am on Friday. The bus stand was flooded, too.

In Tirunelveli, places like Radhapuram, Vellalanvilai, Valliyur, Kalakad, Ambai, Cheranmahadevi, Veeravanallur, Gopalasamudram, Suthamalli, and Pathamadai received continuous downpour. Mukkudal area reported knee-deep waterlogging which led to severe traffic disruptions in the area. Ambai recorded 22 cm rain in 24 hours ending on Friday morning while Pappakudi, Idaikal, and Veeravanallur areas too received continuous overnight downpour, causing many roads to resemble waterbodies.

Floodwaters breached into several houses on Mohammad Ali Street and Town Exhibition Street as well as some temples nearby. The Nellaiappar temple looked like it was in the middle of a pool, as a large volume of rainwater collected on the road leading to it, with water even entering its northern hall.

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Similarly, with the Thamirabarani river overflowing its banks, the Murugan temple at the town’s crossroads got partially submerged. Also, roads in Melapalayam got flooded, and people were forced to find alternative routes to commute, the report added.

Several trees were uprooted following which fire and rescue service personnel are in the process of clearing their debris. Many electric poles also got ripped up amidst the continuous downpour following which there was power disruption in the region.

Meanwhile, several elderly people were inconvenienced after rainwater surrounded their shelter in Seethaparpanallur which is a low-lying area.

Amidst relentless rain in Kovilpatti, the rear wall of the ESI dispensary collapsed and many vehicles submerged in water. Residents in the region reported that the rainwater has fully surrounded over 2,000 houses, stranding them. They added that several electrical appliances were damaged and they have been forced to clear the floodwaters themselves using mugs. efforts are on to drain the water at the earliest and restore normalcy, officials said.

Following rapid intensification of flooding, buses too were unable to exit the Kovilpatti main bus stand, causing commutes to be suspended across several parts of the district.

In Tenkasi district, over 300 ponds that were dry during the previous season areas are now brimming with water thanks to the incessant rains. Farmers in the region are happy that 70 per cent of the water bodies are filled with water which would help in procuring a good yield. People are also overjoyed that the rainfall has led to a significant increase in groundwater levels.

The Thamirabarani river has seen an influx of 60,000 cusecs following water being released from the overflowing Ramanathi and Kadanathi dams in Tenkasi. The residents living along the banks of the water bodies have been asked to evacuate to safer places.

Similarly, flood warnings have been issued in Thoothukudi district. District Collector K Elambahavath has requested people living in areas like Srivaikuntam to move to relief camps while tourists have been asked to not bathe in rivers flowing in full spate.