TN has received 68% excess rainfall so far
The state has received 68 per cent excess rainfall during the ongoing northeast monsoon and three people and over 300 heads of cattle were killed in the last 24 hours, the government said on Saturday.
Large quantum of water was being released from reservoirs, including from Mettur in Salem, which caters to the Cauvery Delta districts.
Thenpennai river in Villupuram was overflowing while Palar in Kancheepuram was brimming.
Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, KKSSR Ramachandran said the state has received 518.99 mm of rainfall from October 1 till date, which was an excess of 68 per cent during this period.
Nearly, 37 districts in the state received rainfall in the last 24 hours, with Tirupattur receiving the highest of 39.91 mm, he said in a release.
In Villupuram, 18,500 hectares of farm lands were inundated due to the overflowing Thenpennai and efforts were on to clear the water. Around 10,000 people in the district have been lodged in 220 relief camps.
In neighbouring Cuddalore district, the number of persons in such camps was 4,000. “In the last 24 hours, three people have been killed in Krishnagiri and Tiruvannamalai districts,” he said, adding 368 heads of cattle had also perished. While 65,000 cusecs of water were being released from Mettur, the quantum at Poondi, which caters to Chennai, was 29,684 cusecs.
Teams of NDRF were involved in various activities in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Vellore.
Further, 419 camps were active in 14 districts of the state where a little over 34,000 people, evacuated from low-lying areas, have been housed, Ramachandran added.
In Villupuram, 18,500 hectares of farm lands were inundated due to the overflowing Thenpennai
“For the next three days, several districts, including Salem, Namakkal, Kallakurichi, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Karur, Tiruchy, Pudukkottai and Delta districts will receive heavy rains with thunderstorms due to the prevailing atmospheric circulation in the interior Karnataka and adjoining areas. Also, the northern coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and interior districts, Puducherry and Karaikal are expected to get moderate rains,” said N Puviarasan, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, RMC, Chennai.
Thunderstorm warning is given to isolated places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal till November 24. The weather officials said that from the following week the rainfall is expected to increase.
As far as Chennai is concerned, thunderstorm with light to moderate showers is likely to occur in some areas for the next 48 days. The maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 30 degrees Celsius and 25 degrees Celsius.
According to the RMC, Sivaganga and Tiruvannamalai received the highest of 7 cm each in last 24 hours, followed by Pudukkottai, Tiruvallur, Nilgiris and Tirupattur 6 cm, Namakkal 5 cm, Chengalpattu, Theni and Thanjavur 4 cm each, Chennai Airport, MGR Nagar and Anna University recorded 2 cm of rainfall each.