DHARMAPURI/ COONOOR/COIMBATORE: Dharmapuri district administration on Wednesday warned people residing in the low-lying areas near Hogenekkal of possible flooding. The announcement, made in a traditional way using a drum beat, comes after the Karnataka government announced a flood alert along the Cauvery basin.
Pennagaram revenue officials also appealed to the people to vacate to Panchayat Union Primary School (PUPS) building in Uttamalai.
The alert was issued to residents of villages around Hogenekkal, including Uttamalai, Nagarkoil, and Rasimalai.
According to sources, Pennagaram revenue officials are on high alert and have made all preparations in PUPS for accommodating nearly 100 people.
Pennagaram Tahsildhar B Sethulingam Balachandiran said, "Based on the alert issued by Karnataka government, we have taken up necessary steps to prevent loss of life and damages to properties."
"The PWD is placing sandbags in places prone to flooding. Fire and rescue services personnel are on standby. The police department has also set up checkpoints in Krishnagiri borders, along Hogenakkal, and also entry into Hogenakkal has been restricted," he added.
Stating that restrictions are already in place for Coracle rides due to the COVID pandemic, Balachandiran said that there would not be any trespassers into the Hogenekkal premises.
According to official sources, there would be a drastic increase in water level in the Hogenekkal by the early hours of Thursday.
Two die after trees fall on them
Two persons were killed in two different places on Wednesday after trees fell on then in the Nilgiris. While Sadiq (40) died when a tree fell on him while he was riding his two-wheeler on Finger Post in Ooty, Ravi (52) died similarly in Sholur. Trees were uprooted in more than ten places due to heavy rains coupled with winds. Many parts of the district suffered long hours of a power outage.
The Nilgiris Collector Innocent Divya advised people to remain indoors or move to a nearby camp if there are any weak trees located near the houses.
The Collector said that 565 persons have so far been accommodated in nine camps. A total of 32 members of the National Disaster Management Authority have already reached the district, she added.
Banana plantations destroyed
Strong winds coupled with heavy rains in the last 24 hours destroyed hundreds of banana plantations in many villages, including in Madukkarai and Thondamuthur blocks of Coimbatore district.
According to sources, banana and coconut farmers in Navakarai, Ettimadai, KG Chavadi, Mathvarayapuram, and Alanduarai villages were severely affected.
The exact number of damaged plantations can be arrived at only after a field assessment is carried out by officials of agriculture and revenue departments, sources said.
Speaking to TNIE, S Nachimuthu, a farmer from Navakarai, said, "A total of 300 banana plantations grown by me and my brother were destroyed. Apart from that, we lost three coconut trees. No farmers who grew banana plantations escaped from the ravage."
Nachimuthu lamented about the cumbersome process to claim compensation for the insurance plantations.
"We do not get any compensation despite insuring the crops. As per the norm, claims are settled only if plantations in the entire block are destroyed. Single or a small group of farmers cannot claim the compensations for the damage," he said.
Fuse-off call plaints go up
The harsh weather conditions uprooted several trees, damaged electricity poles and transformers, and resulted in disruption of power connections in Coimbatore during the last 24 hours. A staff of the power department said, "On normal days, we attend a minimum of 8 to 10 complaints per day. But on Wednesday the number of calls crossed 25.
An official in Metro Electrical Distribution Circle, on condition of anonymity, said, " Due to staff shortage, existing staff are working overtime and they cannot concentrate on their work as consumers are calling them to rectify electricity issues at home. If they delay, consumers get angry and scold them. These circumstances prevail in all electricity offices in the Coimbatore region. The official said that there is 70 percent of field staff posts are still vacant in the region.
A top official in the Coimbatore region said, "The field staff attending complaints day and night. Pending complaints would be addressed shortly."
Noyyal swells up, areas near Podanur inundated
Sai Nagar near Podanur was inundated due to flooding of River Noyyal caused by incessant rains in the Western Ghats. The residents complained of mixing of floodwater with sewage and said that they have never witnessed such a situation in their lifetime.
According to NI Sharbuddin, a resident, more than 200 houses were inundated in the locality.
Stating that the corporation officials were not acting on the complaints, he said, "Usually water recedes within a few hours. But this time there are no signs of it as there is no proper drainage system." However, the Corporation officials visited the locality and assured to place sand bags to prevent further flooding.