The administration has declared Friday a holiday for government and private schools as an overnight spell of rain turned into a heavy downpour through most of the day on Thursday, disrupting normal life and inundating several residential areas on the outskirts of the city.
The incessant rain forced several residents to stay indoors while those who ventured out on two-wheelers struggled to navigate arterial roads which are in bad shape. The delay in completing underground drainage works has compounded matters rendering several roads un-motorable.
According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, more rain and thundershower are expected to occur at many places over Puducherry during the next 48 hours under the influence of a low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal.
Puducherry recorded 33.5 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 a.m. on Thursday.
The city recorded 58.4 mm rainfall from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Thursday.
In Pakkamudayanpet, Nellithope and other areas, residents and activists resorted to protest against the authorities, alleging that they did not take any steps to re-lay the loads which were dug up for laying under-ground drainage.
In the Thattanchavadi constituency, the main road connecting Pakkamudayanpet and Pudupettai developed potholes. K.Sethuselvam, CPI functionary, said, “The Pudupettai main road was dug up several months ago by authorities for laying underground drainage. The road now causes hardship to residents and commuters.”
According to him, though the officials of Public Works Department assured residents of immediate action a few months ago, the promise remained unfulfilled. Similarly in the Nellithope constituency, the residents staged a novel protest by planting saplings on the ‘slushy’ Thottakkal main road. They alleged that Thottakkal main road, Nallandi Maistry streets are in bad shape as the authorities failed to take up any maintenance works there.
R.Sekar, a resident of the area, said, “During rains, there is knee-deep water which mixes up the garbage and the drain overflow. As a result, the public and students are put to untold sufferings.”
Rain water has also inundated the residential areas such as Pavanan Nagar, Boomiyan Pettai, Rasu Udayar Garden and Krishna Nagar. Bahour, Kirumambakkam, Thavalakuppam were severely water-logged. Rain water entered into 50 houses in low-lying Parikkalpattu near Bahour. Residents including children were evacuated to a temple.
With the sea turning rough and unusually big waves lashing the long coast from Periya Kalapet to Murthikuppam, fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea.
A.V. Ragunathan reports from Cuddalore:
In the wake of heavy rainfall in Villupuram district, several low-lying areas were inundated. On Thursday the underpass at Keezhperumbakkam was flooded making commutation difficult. Similarly, the new bus stand here was covered with sheet of rainwater.
District Collector V. Sampath, along with Villupuram Municipal Commissioner Uma Maheswari and engineer Selvam, inspected the rain affected areas. At Keezhperumbakkam he directed the officials to pump out the stagnating water. At the new bus stand the Collector instructed the officials to clear blocks in the main drainage and take immediate mosquito control measures.
The officials were asked to keep “108” ambulances ready. As against the average of 26.56 mm Villupuram received 2.39 cm of rainfall. Heavy rain, measuring 61 mm lashed Tindivanam followed by Marakkanam – 46 mm, Vanur – 33 mm, Thirukkoilur – 21 mm, Ginjee – 19.5 mm, Villupuram – 17 mm and Kallakurichi 12 mm.
NLC power output
Owing to heavy rainfall and the slackening demand on the southern power grid, the Neyveli Lignite Corporation kept the electricity generation at 1,700 MW against the installed capacity of 2,490 MW.
NLC sources said the demand for power from the agricultural sector had considerably reduced on the grid due to rains.
Electrocuted
Kannagi (43), a resident of Nallambakkam near Marakkanam, was electrocuted when she unwittingly stepped on a live wire that had fallen on the ground due to uprooting of an electric pole in front of her house on Wednesday night.
Police sources said strong gale accompanied by heavy rain must have pulled down the electric post. The body has been taken to the Tindivanam government hospital for post-mortem.
