Torrential rain claims over a dozen lives in Tamil Nadu
17 dead as wall of a compound crashes on to a row of houses in Nadur village; ten women and two children among dead; govt announces Rs400,000 for each victim
At least 17 people have been buried alive in a wall collapse in Nadur village near Mettupalayam in the wee hours of Monday, as torrential rain continued for a third straight day in Tamil Nadu. The dead included ten women and two children. Police at the state headquarters said the victims were asleep when a 15-foot tall private compound wall crashed on to a row of houses in the village, which is nestled on the Western Ghats. The location is some 50 kilometres from the state’s second largest city Coimbatore.
The wall fell on the adjoining tiled-roof houses at around 5am. Three houses were destroyed in the crash.
A row had prevailed about the wall, built shouldering the houses, but the authorities never bothered as the houses were occupied by people of low means.
Coimbatore District Collector K. Rajamani told the media that the wall would be demolished if it’s found illegal.the administration will review suggestions by the villagers to prevent such incidents in future and will send a detailed report to the state government for follow up action, including providing relief measures. The state government announced a compensation of Rs400,000 for families of every person who died in the tragedy.
The deceased were identified as Guru, Ramnath, Anandakumar, Harisuda, Sivakami, Oviammal, Nathiya, Vaidehi, Thilagavathi, Arukkani, Rukmani, Nivedha, Chinnammal, girl Akshaya and a boy, Lokuram.
Heavy rain has been pounding several parts of the state since Thursday due to an upper air circulation and easterly winds. Many suburbs of Chennai have witnessed water-logging, with rain water entering houses in a few places.
Schools remain shut in nine districts, including Chennai, Thiruvallur, Chengalpet and Kancheepuram. The Madras University, Anna University and Annamalai University in Chidambaram deferred examinations, scheduled to commence on Monday.
The Regional Meteorological Department had advised fishermen along the coastal belt not to venture into the sea till further notification.
Reservoirs and tanks across the state have reached their maximum level and rivers, especially in southern and western Tamil Nadu are flooding, officials of the public works department said. Residents downstream have been asked to move to safety.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat and reviewed relief and rescue measures.
Rescue teams have been formed and officers of various departments have been directed to take coordinated efforts.
The most affected district is the hilly Nilgiris district, Erode and neighbouring areas and in southern districts, where flood alert has been sounded.
The hilly Coonoor in Nilgiris district received a maximum of 133.8 mm of rain during the last 24 hours ending at 0830 hours this morning, followed by Namakkal 64 mm, Udhagamangalam 56.2 mm.
Heavy and incessant rains lashed Chennai city and suburbs with the Nungambakkam observatory recording 4.7 cm of rain till 8.30 am on Monday morning, while the suburban Meenambakkam received six cms of rains.
Met office said the wet spell was likely to continue for the next two days after which the downpour would subside.
The low pressure area over the Southwest Arabian Sea and adjoining equatorial Indian Ocean is likely to move west-northwestwards and concentrate into a depression during the next 24 hours, Met office source said on Monday morning. The weather pattern was also expected to bring more rains for the next two days.
Met office said that, under the influence of an active easterly wave, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with heavy to very heavy falls occurred over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.
A flood alert has been issued to people living on the banks of river Bhavani in the western Erode district.
Revenue officials released a flood alert and advised people living on the river banks to move to safer places.