Rains continued to lash in Thoothukudi for the third consecutive day on Wednesday and people were delighted as the rains provided respite from the hot weather.

It started raining at around 12.30 p.m. And continued for hours together. Low-lying areas were stagnated. The spell will benefit farmers, who have cultivated crops on rainfed tracts. Now, paddy nurseries were being raised in pockets of Karungulam, Eral, Srivaikuntam, Alwarthirunagari and Tiruchendur and the rains would be useful for the paddy, sources said.

Unfamiliar weather conditions prompted the fishermen to return to shore on Wednesday. Among a fleet of 250 mechanised boats, only 16 boats ventured into sea. After weather warning instructions from the Indian Metereological Department, Chennai, the fishermen at sea were asked to return to the shore.

The boats returned to the shore after 3 p.m. Normally, the mechanised boats would set off to sea at 5 a.m. and return to shore at 9 p.m. Further, the fishermen were advised not to venture into sea for the next 48 hours as per IMD instructions, Regional Joint Director of Fisheries, R. Amal Xavier said.

Local cautionary signal number three was hoisted at V.O. Chidambaranar Port, Thoothukudi at 4.30 p.m., as per instructions from the IMD. However, normal operations were on as usual at the port, sources said.