Rain returned to Tuticorin on Friday, accompanied by a gale, which uprooted over 200 trees in the port town. Several residential areas were inundated and water entered the ground floor houses in a few colonies and the Government Medical College Hospital.
As all the 14 motors pumping drinking water to overhead tanks went under water at the Rajaji Park pumping station in Tuticorin, water supply to the town was cut. Operation of the pumping station at nearby Vallanadu has already been affected by the earlier wet spell.
A 15-minute gale uprooted several trees on the Collector’s office premises and blew off tiles glass window panes in several residential areas, which have been affected by inundation in last week’s rains.
Several areas went without power as the uprooted trees fell on overhead power lines. Revenue officials were pressed into service to take stock of the damage caused by the gale and fire and rescue services personnel, along with Tangedco workers, were involved in removal of the uprooted trees and restoration of power supply. Rain water entered the Sivan Temple at Tiruchendur.
197 mm in Manjolai
In the neighbouring Tirunelveli district, Manjolai recorded the highest rainfall of 197 mm and catchment areas of all reservoirs continued to experience significant rainfall. PWD officials released 14,000 cusecs of water from the overflowing Papanasam dam and over 18,000 cusecs from Manimuthar dam, which has already reached its maximum level of 118 feet. As a result of heavy discharge, the Tamirabharani swelled once again and inundated the Karuppanthurai low-level causeway connecting Melapalayam and Tirunelveli Town. Discharge from the two dams was scaled down by noon. Water entered several low-lying areas in Tirunelveli and three houses suffered extensive damage, injuring three persons. Police personnel were deployed with safety gear along the Tamirabharani.
Kanyakumari district experienced widespread rainfall and discharge from Pechiparai dam was increased to 2000 cusecs.
The maximum rainfall of 29.2 mm was recorded in Myladi. As the Western Ghats received heavy rain, flow into dams increased. People living on the banks of the rivers were asked to move to safer places and ban on bathing in Thirparappu falls continued on Friday.
Due to heavy rain, ferry services to Vivekanandar Rock and Tiruvalluvar Statue in Kanyakumari were suspended for about two hours in the morning. Five houses in Agasteeswaram taluk and four in Vilavancode taluk were damaged on Thursday night. Majority of fishermen from Colechel and Chinna Muttom did not venture into sea due to rough sea.
