The heavy to moderate rain that lashed several parts of the central region claimed the lives of a young girl in Perambalur district and a 71-year-old woman in Ariyalur district on Thursday.
Seven-year-old V. Yosana was asleep with her parents in a tiled house at Pasumbalur village in Perambalur, when a portion of the mud wall, apparently weakened due to the rain, fell over her causing her death on the spot, said police.
The girl’s father, Venkatesan, is a daily wage labourer. The body was sent to Perambalur Government Hospital for postmortem. V. Kalathur police are investigating.
The district recorded an average of 37 mm of rainfall with Agaramsigur recording the maximum of 64 mm of rainfall during the 24 hour period till 6 a.m.on Thursday. Officials set up seven relief camps at Alathur in the district and 19 persons of 11 families were accommodated in them.
In Ariyalur, Sivapakkiam, wife of Ponnan of Arungal, near here, was electrocuted when she came into contact with a live wire lying in front of her house. She died on the spot. Her body was later removed to government hospital for post mortem.
She was the first rain victim in the district. Eight huts were also reported to have been damaged. Collector D. Rathna said low-lying areas were being closely monitored. Instructions had been given to revenue officials to shift residents of Mela Ramanallur and Thideerkuppam to a safer location as a precautionary measure.
Thirumanur recorded 58 mm and Sendurai 50 mm within 12 hours from 6 am to 6 pm on Thursday, Ariyalur and Jayankondam registered 26 mm and 8 mm respectively in the district.
Several parts of the delta region, especially Nagapattinam, Mayiladathurai and Tiruvarur districts, witnessed heavy rainfall.
Vedaranyam recorded the maximum rainfall of 20 cm of rainfall during the 24 hour period ending at 6 a.m. on Thursday. Fishermen abstained from venturing into the rough sea.
Talaignayar (15 cm), Nagapattinam (14 cm), Mayiladuthurai (12 cm), Sirkazhi (10 cm), Manalemdu and Kollidam (7 cm each) and Tharangampadi (5.5 cm) also received heavy rain. Neighbouring Karaikal in Puducherry Union Territory recorded 16 cm of rainfall during the same period.
Though there was no report of any major damage to the standing paddy crop in the delta, the incessant rain caused some worry for those who had gone for thaladi or early samba crop in Thanjavur district.
A section of them acknowledged that the timely action of the Public Works Department to suspend water release in rivers and canals in the delta ahead of the rain helped prevent major damage.
“We have to thank the Public Works Department for good water management. There is water-logging is some fields in low-lying areas in the district, but the water will drain if there is a brief let-up. We are relatively safe as long there is no heavy flow in rivers and canals from Karur, Namakkal and Tiruchi districts,” said Cauvery S. Dhanapalan, general secretary, Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, Nagapattinam.
In Tiruvarur district, Thiruthuraipoondi recorded the maximum rainfall of 13 cm during the same period. Kodavasal (10 cm) Tiruvarur (9 cm), Nannilam and Valangiman (8 cm), Mannargudi (7 cm) and Needamangalam (6.5 cm) received heavy rainfall in the old Cauvery Delta irrigation region bringing cheer to farmers who have taken up samba/thaladi cultivation on a full scale this season.
Manjalaru recorded the maximum rainfall of 98 mm in Thanjavur followed by Pattukottai (86 mm), Thiruvidaimaruthur (80.40 mm) and Adiramapattinam (77 mm). Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Papanasam and Orathanadu recorded above 50 mm of rainfall.
Coastal areas in Pudukottai such as Meemisal and Manamelkudi (56 mm each) also received heavy rainfall. Most other parts of the district too received good rainfall.
Tiruchi, Karur and Ariyalur districts too received widespread rainfall. Overcast conditions prevailed in Tiruchi city on Thursday with steady showers right from morning.
