NAGERCOIL
Rain that lashed the catchment areas of the dams and the areas close to the Western Ghats on Tuesday night triggered floods in low-lying areas to cause extensive damage to roads and standing crops in Kanniyakumari district.
Collector Prashant M. Wadanere, who started visiting the flood-hit areas on Tuesday evening, continued the exercise in the rain-affected areas close to the Western Ghats on Wednesday also as the hilly region and the adjoining areas experienced torrential rain. Since Perunchani dam received 29,920 cusecs, water release into the river was increased. Consequently, roads, culverts and farms were damaged. However, the discharge of water was reduced after the inflow subsided for a while.
As the release of water from Pechipparai dam to Puththan Anai increased, the road connecting Kuttiyani to Perunchani was badly damaged. The small bridge connecting Keeriparai and Labour Colony was damaged in the rain while the Tiruvattar bridge over Paralaiyar submerged.
Traffic on the bridge near Ganapathiyankadavu was stopped after it submerged. Vehicles were diverted via Kuzhithurai– Thengaipattinam Road.
Landslide on railway track near Eraniel hit rail traffic near Aathivilai and the services could be resumed after the rocks were cleared after an hour.
A total of 190 families have been evacuated to safety. While most of the evacuated families chose to move to the houses of their relatives, 83 families have been temporarily settled in the shelters or nearby schools and community halls. “Eight huts have been partly damaged,” officials said.
Fishermen abstained from venturing into sea due to the inclement weather and rough sea while rubber latex tapping was totally hit.
Rainfall recorded in the district was (in mm): Pechipparai dam 204, Puthen dam 153, Chittar I 147, Perunchani dam 128, Chittar II 122, Kannimar 103, Surulacode 92, Kuzhithurai 88, Boothapandi 75, Nagercoil 74, Mayiladi 65, Mambazhathuraiyar dam 60, Kottaram 55, Eraniel 54, Colachel 52, and Kaliyal, Thuckalay and Poigai 40 each.
Water level in the dams stood at (in feet): Chittar I 16.92 (maximum capacity 18), Petchipparai 33 (48), Perunchani 75 (77), Chittar II 17 (18), Poigai 23 (42) and Mambazhathuraiyar 54 (54).