Heavy rains, winds batter parts of Kerala and TN
chennai — Rains accompanied with strong winds lashed many parts of south Tamil Nadu such as Tirunelveli and Tuticorin among others.
Fishermen stayed off the sea in Tuticorin even as boats anchored on the shore suffered damage following strong winds.
Educational institutions remained closed in southern districts such as Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Viruthunagar and Thanjavur.
Torrential overnight rains accompanied by squally winds lashed Kanniyakumari district, uprooting scores of trees and affecting normal life on Thursday.
The district administration asked people not to venture out following the heavy rains and squally winds.
Many parts suffered power cuts even as educational institutions remained closed in this district.
A couple of trains, originating and passing through this district suffered partial to full cancellation, even as some of them were rescheduled, Southern Railway officials said. Local administration employed personnel to remove uprooted trees even as movement of vehicular traffic was affected.
Kerala on Thursday afternoon was also lashed by heavy rain and strong winds, causing trees to be uprooted at several places in Trivandrum and Kollam districts that blocked traffic.
The state government declared a holiday for educational institutions in the afternoon for the day.
The metrological office said that heavy rains and winds in the southern districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu was due to a depression formed over southwest Bay of Bengal near the Sri Lanka coast and it had moved westwards and intensified into a deep depression in the early hours of Thursday.
The Met has forecast heavy rains for Thursday and Friday in southern Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep and also parts of Nicobar Islands.
The report said gale wind with speeds reaching 65-75 kmph and gusting to 85 kmph are likely along and off south Kerala over the next 48 hours and off south Tamil Nadu. Squally winds with speed reaching 55 to 65 kmph, and gusting to 75 kmph, are also very likely along and around Lakshadweep Islands.
The Kerala government has already opened a special control room under the charge of a top police officer. The Met office advised fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off south Tamil Nadu and south Kerala coasts and Lakshadweep Islands. —