Rain, accompanied by lightning and thunder, lashed various parts of Tuticorin on Monday night. It started raining around 3 a.m. and continued for over an hour.
A frightening barrage of lightning and thunder kept most of the residents awake. Showers caused inundation alongside Palayamkottai Road, George Road, WGC Road, VE Road and other low-lying areas.
Though rain brought the much-awaited relief among the people from scorching summer heat, it triggered widespread power outage in Tuticorin town. Power cuts persisted hours together and certainly tested the patience of the residents. At last, the power supply resumed around 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday, A. Shanmugavel, a resident of Muniyasamypuram, said.
Reliable sources in Tangedco told The Hindu that power lines were cut and pin insulators in the supply lines suffered damage in most of the feeders from power substations following heavy rain. Such a problem also kept wiremen and officials of Tangedco awake till normalcy was restored.
It became difficult for the wiremen to identify shortcomings on electricity supply lines, especially in insulated materials, which had been used for a long period. According top priority to Plus Two examination centres, problems in a feeder supplying power to the centres were sorted out on a war footing.
Unlike in other districts, overhead power lines in Tuticorin district, which were aluminium conductors, got corroded due to exposure to chemical reactions and salty air. Only when underground cable wires were laid, such problems would not recur, official sources added.
The annoying spells of power cut also affected transactions in banks as Internet server did not function. A bank official said internet connection was slow at peak hours since 10 a.m. and gradually the link was cut owing to power outage. Even network signal weakened and communication through mobile phones was affected during such situations, A. Sankar, president, Consumer Rights Forum, Tuticorin, said.
