Severe flooding of roads, damages to crops after rains lash Puducherry for two days

PUDUCHERRY: Under the influence of a cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal, Puducherry experienced flooding of roads, inundation of low-lying areas and damages to crops as rains lashed the Union territory in the last two days throwing life out of gear. In the last nine hours on Monday from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, Puducherry registered 7.82 cm of rainfall, while till 8.30 am on Monday from 8.30 am on Sunday, it experienced 8.21 cm of rainfall.

Rainbow Nagar, Krishna Nagar, India Gandhi Statue, Sivaji Statue and Uzhavar Sandhai in the old bus stand area witnessed heavy flooding. At 9th cross in Rainbow Nagar, boats were pressed into service by social activists to move out people. A colony of Scheduled Caste residents in Villianur commune has been flooded, with water having entered the houses of some 17 families residing there.

Chief Minister N Rangasamy made a field visit of urban and rural areas and assessed the situation. Minister of Agriculture and Forests C Jayakumar visited the agricultural lands in the rain-hit areas of Bahur, Sivaranthagam, Upper Sathamangalam and Lower Sathamangalam. He commiserated with farmers who showed him their damaged crops and directed officials to provide necessary assistance to them.

Out of 84 tanks, 26 are at full capacity, said PWD minister K Lakshminarayanan who has been assessing the situation. The water level in Bahoor and Oussudu tanks, the two major water bodies in Puducherry, is almost at full capacity, while other smaller tanks also are reaching full capacity, he said. With the water level risen in the Then Penniyar and Sankarabarani, the rivers are in spate. The pathway on the anicut at Komandanmedu in Bahour has been closed down for the public by police. The Pillyarkuppam bed dam on Sankarani river is overflowing above 50 cm.

Secretary PWD and other officials have been directed to tackle the challenges posed by the rain, said Lakshminarayanan. The irrigation division of the PWD has been pumping out water from low-lying areas. Cuts have been made on roads at Indira Gandhi square to drain out the flood waters, he said. The damages on Sellipet bed dam have been addressed temporarily with sand bags and the Sitheri shutter opened to let out excess water. Engineers are monitoring the situation round the clock and giving updates, he said. People living on the banks of rivers and tributaries have been alerted, so also the fishermen in coastal villages.

However, there has been no power outage due to the rains at any place and the power supply has been well maintained due to the department’s preparedness for the monsoons, said Home Minister A Namassivayam, also holding the power portfolio.

Control rooms were operating at the revenue department to attend to any assistance by the people. The Puducherry government has already declared a holiday for all schools and colleges on Monday and Tuesday.

Leader of Opposition R Siva said that some huts have been damaged in his Villianur constituency and urged the government to provide relief of Rs 20,000 to each of the rain-affected families.