Heavy rain inundates low-lying areas in Udhagamandalam

Heavy rain on Thursday evening inundated many low-lying areas in the Udhagamandalam town.

The areas most affected were the ones in the immediate vicinity of the Kodappamund Channel that cuts through the town and drains into the Ooty lake. Water entered many houses around Green Fields, forcing people to spend the whole of Friday cleaning up their houses.

According to officials, a total of 62.5 mm rainfall was recorded in Udhagamandalam town on Thursday evening.

S. Ramani, a resident living near Green Fields, said that heavy rain each year led to water entering her house.

“There needs to be a permanent solution that the district administration or the municipality adopts to prevent flooding . At the very least, the Kodappamund Channel and the sewage system needs to be cleaned prior to the monsoon season each year,” she said.

Water overflowed from the Kodappamund Channel and flooded the areas surrounding the Udhagamandalam Railway Station and the main town bus stand. The Railway Police Station was inundated, with personnel stating that they had to wade through more than a foot of water to get into and out of the station.