TIRUNELVELI
As a few villages in the western parts of the district witnessed relocation of the people living in low-lying areas in view of torrential rain in the Western Ghats and consequent overflowing of 5 dams in this region, District Collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish has put on high alert the officials to launch relief and rescue operations within the shortest possible time in case of any emergency.
Visiting the rain-affected areas of Sambavarvadakarai, Karumadaiyoor, Moolaikaraiyoor in western Tirunelveli along with Monitoring Officer Rajendra Kumar, Ms. Shilpa met the villagers having their houses in low-lying areas and got relocated to a community hall. She asked the officials to provide them with food and other basic requirements.
Ms. Shilpa also despatched a medical team to the community hall later to screen the relocated villagers.
The Collector said the Karumadaiyoor and Moolaikaraiyoor villagers living in the low-lying areas close to the Periyakulam had been relocated to the community hall considering their safety. Meanwhile, the bund of Periyakulam was being strengthened with sandbags and wooden planks after inspection by the officials.
“Since influx of water into the Hanumanadhi is also huge owing to the downpour in the Kadayanallur area and the consequent overflowing of dams, residents living behind the Sambavarvadakarai police station have been shifted to a community hall, where 42 persons have been settled. They are being provided with drinking water and food and they will be there until the situation improves,” Ms. Shilpa said, adding that the officials had been instructed to look for vulnerable areas and make adequate precautionary measures in those areas to avert damages.
She alerted the revenue, police and fire and rescue services personnel to be prepared to face any emergency.
Since the Kanniyakumari district, which bore the brunt of torrential rain for a couple of days recently, is still getting incessant drizzle to effectively prevent the repairing of damaged roads and irrigation channels with sandbags. As over 8,000 cusecs of water is being discharged from Petchipaarai dam, over 50 villages situated along the watercourse have been marooned.
“The district is yet to recover from the 30,000 cusecs of water discharged from the Petchipaarai and Perunchani dams and the damage caused by the flood. Even as we’re hopeful of returning to normal life, the incessant drizzle that started on Friday night has dashed our hopes. The stagnant water level, which has receded to some extent in the low-lying areas, is on the rise again,” said S. Pricelin of Vellicode.
The stagnant water at villages such as Mangadu, Yezhurmukku, Virivilai, Kuzhithurai, Therekaalpudhur and Eesaanthimangalam has affected normal life. As the channel from Perunchani to Puththen Dam suffered breach, work is on to plug the gap with sandbags.
The revenue officials said the flood has affected paddy, plantain, rubber and coconut on over 20,000 acres in the district.
Collector Prashant M. Wadanere, who was busy mobilising relief materials to flood-hit Kerala, also visited the rain-affected areas of the district including Therisanamcoppu, Gnalam, Keeripaarai and Petchipaarai dam along with Monitoring Officer T.K. Ramachandran.
