ANDIPATTI
With moderate showers in southern districts, Public Works Department officials reduced the discharge from Vaigai dam for irrigation of the first crop in Madurai and Dindigul districts from 960 cusecs to 710 cusecs on Saturday evening.
But, the discharge was stopped completely on Sunday morning as a boy fell into Periyar Main Channel at Marugalpatti village in Periyakulam union.
The local people, who found the boy’s clothes on the bank of the channel, alerted Fire and Rescue Services personnel. The fire service personnel launched a search for him in the channel. But they could not expedite the search owing to the heavy water flow.
Later, they appealed to the PWD officials to stop the discharge to expedite the search. The PWD officials immediately stopped the discharge, and the search operation continued till the evening.
The PWD officials said the quantum of discharge would be decided after the completion of the search operation.
After a gap of three years, water has started flowing in the Vaigai, thanks to moderate showers in the catchments of Moola Vagai river. Water crossed Kadamalaigundu at noon, cheering farmers and the local people.
Sharp showers rocked Theni nearby areas for a short while in the evening. Rainwater flooded roadside shops on Dindigul-Kumuli Highway near Bungalowmedu in Theni. Inflow has increased considerably in all the dams in the district.
Dindigul and nearby areas too recorded sharp showers in the evening. Kodaikanal recorded moderate showers in the morning. Mist and the continuing chill weather saw the temperature drop to 14 degrees Celsius.
