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Monday, Mar 24, 2008
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Rain kills five in south

Tamil Nadu Bureau

Extensive damage caused to standing crops

Ministers inspect affected areas
Residents along river banks alerted

MADURAI: Incessant rain claimed five lives and caused an extensive damage to standing crops, mostly paddy, over thousands of hectares in the southern districts on Sunday.

People residing along river banks and in low-lying areas were instructed to move to safety as water level in major reservoirs was reaching full capacity. The intensity of the rain this season was unprecedented in recent years, Public Works Department sources said.

In Kanyakumari district, Madushoodanan (27) of Boothapandi was washed away by flash floods when he tried to cross a river at Andithoppu.

Electrocuted

Vignesh (19), of Mallancodu near Kulakkarai in Eraniel, was electrocuted when he came in contact with a live wire that got snapped in the rain.

Police recovered the body of Ambedkumar (8), of Vellichanthai, from a pond. In Virudhunagar district, M. Muthuselvi (16) and K Seethalakshmi (17), of Mangudi near Rajapalayam, were trying to cross a channel when they drowned in flash floods.

While low-lying areas were flooded with rain water, tapioca, banana and paddy crops were inundated in different parts of Kanyakumari district.

Tourism Minister N. Suresh Rajan, who visited flood-affected areas, held discussions with Collector B. Jothi Nirmala and other officials to ensure speedy implementation of the flood relief scheme.

Heavy rain, accompanied by thunder/lightening, continued to lash various parts of the district for the third day on Sunday. The maximum rainfall of 87.4 mm was recorded at Kottaram.

Damage assessed

At least 2,200 acres of crop, including paddy, cotton and grape, were damaged in rain in Madurai and Theni districts. Theni Collector S.J. Chiru inspected rain-ravaged paddyfields at Chinnamanur. Nearly 200 acres of grape farms in Cumbum valley were damaged. About 51 huts were mutilated in Madurai, where Collector S.S. Jawahar instructed revenue officials to alert residents along the Vaigai river banks about a possible flood situation. “We have kept the contingency plan ready. Water has been released from the Vaigai dam, where the final flood warning has been issued.”

Compensation promised

In Tirunelveli, Social Welfare Minister Poongthai Aladi Aruna met villagers in affected areas and assured them of adequate compensation. Official sources said 4,500 hectares of standing crop were damaged in Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts. HR and CE Minister K.R. Periyakaruppan visited flood-hit areas.

The weather remained cloudy in some districts and rainfall had abated in catchment areas. “The Sothuparai and Manjalar dams are also nearly full. Though there was rain ahead of summer, the intensity of downpour this year has not been witnessed in the last 25 years,” a PWD official said.

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