Downpour pounds Virudhunagar

As of Monday morning (December 18), 40 persons had been evacuated to relief shelters; the district is bringing in boats from nearby Thoothukudi to facilitate in rescues

Houses were marooned in Vaigaikulam near Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district on Monday, December 18, 2023, following overnight heavy rains | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Almost all the nine small dams and waterbodies are brimming with water following overnight heavy rains, in Virudhunagar district.

Virudhunagar Collector, V.P. Jayaseelan, told The Hindu that water is being released from all dams as a proactive measure.

As of Monday morning, around 40 people from low-lying areas have been evacuated to eight relief centres in the district. Food has been supplied to them.  The district administration 40 relief centres in each taluk.

A holiday had already been declared for schools and colleges as a precautionary measure.

Health officials have been asked to identify pregnant women, who are expecting their delivery in the next one week, and admit them in hospitals as a precautionary measure, the Collector said. Police personnel are being deployed at vulnerable areas. The Collector has advised people, especially children and youths, not to venture into waterbodies.

The district administration is also taking steps to bring boats from neighbouring Thoothukudi district as a precautionary measure in order to rescue people from marooned areas.

Virudhunagar district had received an average of 148.28 mm of rainfall from Sunday evening until 6 a.m. on Monday.

“The rainfall has been more than what was expected in the night. So far, we were looking at only the low-lying areas but we are now concentrating on even the areas in the second line of danger and are trying to evacuate them to the relief centres,” he said.

Sattur recorded the highest rainfall of 203 mm, followed by Vembakottai 180 mm.

The rainfall reported in other raingauge stations, in mm, is: Sivakasi 171; Kovilankulam 167.40; Srivilliputtur 153.90; Tiruchuli 149.50; Watrap 144.80; Pilavakkal 142; Rajapalayam 136; Virudhunagar 126; Aruppukottai 124 and Kariyapatti 81 mm.

Meanwhile, surplus water from all eight dams is being discharged. Water level (in metres) at the Periyar Pilavakkal dam was 201.7 metres (against 204.5 metres), Kovilar 211.15 m (against 212 m), Vembakottai 86.94 m (against 87.5 m), Kolwarpatti 61.8 m (against 62.5 m), Anaikuttam 92.8 m (against 95 m), Kullursandhai 30.2 (against 30.2 m), Irukkangudi 53.80 (against 54.85 m) and Sasthakovil 195.1 (against 195.1 m).

Meanwhile, waterlogging was reported in the T.N. State Transport Corporation depot in Virudhunagar. With train services suspended over waterlogging in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi railway stations, several passengers were seen waiting at the Virudhunagar railway stations.

Residents have been asked to call Disaster Management helpline 1077, State Disaster Management helpline 1070 and fire and rescue service helpline 101 and 112 for help. For electricity related complaints, they can call the Minnagam helpline 94987-94987. For ambulance services, they can call 108.