Thoothukudi town receives 10.8 cm rainfall, breaks 36 year record

THOOTUKUDI:  The coastal town of Thoothukudi received a record 10 cm rainfall on January 14, which is the highest rainfall in 36 years for January.

The southern districts have been battered with a severe rainfall due to the formation of upper air circulation over southwest Bay of Bengal on January 9, which has now been moved to Maldives. As of 8 am on January 15, the district received an average of 26.17 mm rainfall with the highest of 51 mm in Srivaikuntam followed by 49 mm in Kayalpattinam and 40 mm in Thoothukudi town.

The extension of monsoon to January had triggered floods in river Thamirabarani and inundated low lying areas across the district. It may be noted that the district received 444.42 mm of rainfall during the northeast monsoon as on December 31, 2020 as against the average of 429.44 mm with an increase of 15.02 mm rainfall or otherwise 3.5 percent increase. Still the weathermen had predicted rains till January 17.

A private weather researcher and a professor T Raja of Tiruchendur, told TNIE that the extension of monsoon to January is a rare occurrence as Northeast monsoon showers rains only during October, November and December. A rainfall of 155.8 mm in January recorded in 1961 has been the highest so far. In the current climate, the district had received 149.87 mm from January 1-15, and it is expected to break the previous record in another few days, he said.

On January 14, the district received an average of 41.18 mm rainfall including  108 mm in Thoothukudi, 70 mm in Ottapidaram, 65 mm in Vedanatham and 54 mm in Kadambur. "The 10.8 cm rainfall showered in Thoothukudi town on January 14, was the highest in 36 years as it broke the record of 93.6 mm rainfall registered on January 16, 1984, he added.

The unexpected severe rains had submerged over 118 residential colonies and the waters flooded the houses in multiple areas in Thoothukudi corporation. As many as 103 motor pumps had been installed including 82 in North zone, 14 in South zone, six in West zone and one in East zone to dewater the areas.