2 dead, flights cancelled as rain lashes TN
CHENNAI: Cyclone Burevi has weakened and spared Tamil Nadu, but heavy rain lashed Chennai, central and southern districts on Friday, inundating several parts of the state and claiming two lives.
At 5pm on Friday, the Met said the deep depression “remained particulary stationary” during the past four hours near Ramanathapuram. It was centered about 40km southwest of Ramanathapuram, 70km west-south west of Pamban and 160km northeast of Kanyakumari.
An elderly couple, identified as Kuppusamy (70) and his wife Yasoda (65), was killed in a wall collapse at Elumichankai Palayam village, near Kumbakonam, in the early hours of the day. The two were fast asleep, when the mud wall of their house, which was completely drenched due to heavy rains, collapsed and fell on them.
Meanwhile, a bulletin issued by the Met office said the associated wind speed is about 55-65 gusting to 75 kph. It is likely to move slowly westsouth westwards and cross the Ramanathapuram and adjoining Thoothukudi districts during the next six hours with wind speed of 50-60 gusting to 70kph.
It is very likely to weaken further into a depression with a wind speed 45-55kph gusting to 65kph during next 12 hours.
Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places is likely to occur over south Tamil Nadu and at isolated places over Kerala and Mahe during the next 24 hours.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is also very likely over north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during the same period.
The Met office has issued yellow alert to South and North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, Kerala and Mahe and to South Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Lakshadweep as rainfall would occur at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places.
Northern districts of Chidambaram in Cuddalore district and its surrounding areas received close to 30cm of rain during the 24 hours ending at 8.30am on Friday. Ater nearly four decades, rain water entered the famous Chidambaram Sri Natarajar temple. More than 200 houses were flooded due to high water level in the Chidambaram-kanzaki canal.
As a precautionary measure, power supply was cut off as water flooded the Indira Nagar residential area. Chennai airport said 12 flights from Chennai were cancelled due to heavy rain on Friday.
The flights were scheduled for Thothukudy, Madurai and Kochi.