THOOTHUKUDI
The 4-hour-long downpour that created pools at several places and the inundation of already battered roads crippled normal life in the port town on Monday.
After heavy rains on Sunday, the district of Thoothukudi experienced widespread rainfall on Monday also. The rain that started at 9 a.m. battered the town for about 4 hours to cause water stagnation in several places.
The coastal town that experienced 31 mm rainfall till 8 a.m., recorded 122 mm rainfall between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The rainwater entered 20 houses in the ground floor of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board Colony in Anna Nagar while the streets witnessed knee-deep water stagnation.
Similarly, rainwater stagnated along all the streets of Caldwell Colony, Marakkudi Street, Lions Town, Anna Nagar, P and T Colony, Poobalarayarpuram Lourdhammalpuram, St. Mary’s Colony, Rajapandi Nagar and Chidambara Nagar forced the residents remain indoors.
District Collector K. Senthil Raj, who visited a few rain-hit areas on Monday, said the stagnant water at 36 low-lying areas following the downpour would be pumped out using heavy pumps. The Corporation, besides deploying 40 pumps in this work, had also posted the teams to monitor the work round-the-clock.
Twenty relief camps had been set-up with food, drinking water, medical assistance and other basic facilities to take care of the people evacuated from the low-lying areas, the Collector said.
After inspecting the water stagnating at Tamil Nadu Housing Board Colony in Anna Nagar and along the Thoothukudi District Medical College Hospital Road, Dr. Senthil ordered the deployment of additional pumps for pumping out the rainwater.
“Apart from the 40 pumps deployed now, 100 motors have been kept ready by the Corporation. The public may contact 1077 / 0461 – 2340101 / 94864 54714 (WhatsApp) to seek assistance,” said Dr. Senthil, who inspected the Puckle Channel from the western end to Terespuram to ascertain if the rainwater being pumped into the channel is properly flowing towards the sea.
He also visited S.S. Pillai Market, Krishnarajapuram, Selvavinayagapuram, entire stretch between Vijay Wearhouse to Periyapallam Odai, Madathur Main Road, Judges’ Quarters and Sivanthaakulam Road.
Corporation Commissioner V.P. Jayaseelan, Additional Collector Vishnu Chandran, Sub-Collector Simranjeet Singh, City Health Officer Arun Kumar and City Engineer Sermakani accompanied the Collector.
In Udangudi, residents of Subramaniapuram are complaining that the rainwater which was already stagnating along all the streets have started entering their houses after the downpour on Monday.
Rainfall in the district: Tiruchendur – 14, Kaayalpattinam – 52, Kulasekarapattinam – 35, Vilaaththikulam – 21, Kaadalkudi – 13, Vaippaar – 47, Soorankudi – 20, Kovilpatti – 73, Kazhugumalai – 28, Kayathar – 47, Kadambur – 70, Ottapidaaram – 36, Maniyaachi – 34, Vedanaththam – 15, Keezha Arasadi – 4, Ettaiyapuram – 55, Sattankulam – 64, Srivaikundam – 49 and Thoothukudi – 122.