Rain lashed several parts of the district on Sunday night, bringing cheers to farmers.
Water stagnated in low-lying areas and at the railway underpass at RM Colony in the city. Due to the rain, soil dumped on street corners owing to half-finished underground drainage project turned slushy and made the roads slippery. Road users faced hardship owing to the pathetic condition of the roads. The wholesale vegetable market in Dindigul also turned slushy.
However, the rain has brought relief to farmers. Total rainfall recorded in the district was 331.90 mm and the average rainfall being 33.19 mm. Natham recorded 55 mm rain, the highest in the district and Vedasandur Tobacco Research Station recorded 16.8 mm, the lowest.
There were some showers in some parts of Dindigul town on Monday morning and the sky remained overcast throughout the day.
Rainfall recorded at various places in the district (in mm) at 8 a.m. on Monday: Dindigul 26.18, Kodaikanal 26.6. Natham 55, Nilakottai 30, Palani 48, Vedasandur 24.02, Chatrapatti 52.2, Vedasandur Tobacco Research Station 16.8, Kodaikanal Boat Club 40, Kamatchipuram 13.1. Theni dt: Periyar 7.4, Thekkadi 6, Gudalur 4.5, Uthamapalayam 19, Veerapandi 28, Vaigai dam 32.2, Sothuparai dam 7 and Shanmuganadhi dam 14.
Theni
The onset of North East monsoon on Sunday brought widespread rainfall in Periyar-Vaigai basin with many of the rainfall gauging stations in Madurai and Theni districts registering good showers.
However, the Vaigai dam, which is the lifeline of five southern districts for irrigation and drinking water supply, did not have any inflow though the dam recorded 33.2 mm of rainfall.
“Some 300 cusecs of rainwater is flowing towards the Vaigai dam and is expected to reach the reservoir by Monday night. With Theni district recording drizzle on Monday too, the inflow is likely to go up,” a Public Works Department Engineer said.
The bone-dry riverbed has slowed down the flow of water, he added.
The danger of a possible drinking water crisis for Madurai city and Sedapatti and Andipatti Combined Drinking Water scheme with poor storage of 145 mcft in Vaigai dam will be overcome easily if it rained for at least four days, he said.
Besides, the dry irrigation tanks will get some water that could be useful for the grazing animals.
Water level
Water level in the Periyar dam stood at 109 feet (142 feet) with an inflow of 380 cusecs and a discharge of 200 cusecs. Vaigai dam recorded 22.34 mm of rainfall with a discharge of 40 cusecs.
The combined Periyar credit stood at minus 559 mcft.
