Widespread rain in Dindigul city and peripheries disrupted normal life to a great extent on Saturday with most of the residents staying indoors.
The weather was pleasant early in the morning and around 9 a.m., it was sunny, but around 11 a.m., the weather changed and many parts of the city experienced steady rain, which went on till 4 p.m. The rain, no doubt, was welcome by farmers but it proved to be a dampener for those who wanted to go shopping on the weekend.
Apart from extension areas, pockets like Sirumalai, Adalur, Panrimalai, Oddanchatram, Sembatti and Chinnalapatti experienced good rain during the day. However, there was no rain in Natham and Sanarpatti areas.
With a steady stream of tourists arriving to Kodaikanal hills, the rain forced many to stay indoors. There were traffic jams in commercial areas near Seven Road junction and also near the tourist spots as many drivers had parked vehicles on both sides of the road giving little carriage space.
The absence of police personnel in the hill station encouraged the violators to neglect all the road rules irritating the law abiding motorists.
Farmers happy
On Friday evening, there was heavy rainfall for over an hour in the city and low lying areas were inundated. The poor upkeep of the civic authorities was exposed in the rain as gutters was overflowing in many residential areas.
The farmers welcomed the rain as storage level in reservoirs were fast depleting.
With the IMD predicting an increase in rainfall due to the prevailing weather systems, thunderstorms with isolated heavy rain may be experienced till Monday in nine districts, a weather report had said on Saturday.