The district administration has declared a holiday on Monday and Tuesday for schools and colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal following forecast of heavy rain for the next few days.
Incessant overnight rain and intense showers through the day disrupted normal life and inundated several low-lying areas across the city and suburbs.
Puducherry received rainfall of 37 mm for the period from 8.30 a.m. on Saturday to 8.30 a.m. on Sunday and 78 mm of rainfall on Sunday till 4 p.m., District Collector Purva Garg said.
Waterlogging occurred in many low-lying areas and bailing out of stagnated water at Poiyakulam, Sankaradass Swamigal Nagar, Ganapathy Nagar, Chellan Babu Nagar, Ambedkhar Nagar at Villianur, Kirumampakkam, Kanniyakovil and Bahour was carried out.
The outflow from Veedur Dam at 4p.m. was 7,035 cusecs and it was 6,800 cusecs from Sathanur Dam. The major Ossudu and Bahour tanks were filled up to Full Tank Level (FTL). The banks of rivers Sankarabarani and Thenpenniyar were under constant watch/surveillance by PWD officials. Trees that fell on Aravindar Street and Gingee Street corner were cut and removed immediately, the Collector said.
Heavy waterlogging was also reported in areas, including Indira Gandhi statue, Rajiv Gandhi statue, Sivaji statue on ECR Road and residential neighbourhoods, such as Rainbow Nagar, Bussy Street, Solai Nagar, TV Nagar, Kosapalayam, Kompakkam, Achariyapuram, Kalmandapam and Ariyapalayam. Teams from the PWD-Muncipality departments were engaged in pumping out excess water in these areas.
In the Revenue (North) jurisdiction, about 80 persons in settlements behind the airport in Lawspet and at Ariankuppam were shifted to relief centres after water entered their homes.
Meanwhile, after taking stock of the situation, Education Minister A. Namassivayam directed the Education Department to declare a holiday for schools and colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal for two more days following forecast of more rain.
The administration has already set up around 200 relief shelters to accommodate people needing evacuation from their homes due to heavy rain. Arrangements are in place to provide amenities at these camps. All relief shelters are kept open and nearly 3,500 food packets have been distributed on Sunday. Arrangements are in place to distribute food packets to the affected public on Monday as well.
As per the IMD forecast, heavy rain is expected tonight and all Government teams are ready for on-field deployment for rescue and relief operations. In case of any help relating to this ongoing rainfall, public should contact toll free lines 1070 and 1077, the Collector said.
