Life has come to a standstill in the Ockhi-ravaged Kanyakumari district for the second day.
As many as 10 persons had died in impact of the cyclone so far. The gravity of the situation is explained by the fact that the newly-laid four-lane outer-link road linking Kanyakumari with Nagercoil had to be dug in a few places with the help of earth movers to allow the water to drain and prevent inundation of houses near Suchindram. Water has surrounded the famous Thanumalayam temple in Suchindram.
There is no power supply and even the battery-driven UPS have been drained in many homes and establishments. Residents found to their dismay that were not functioning and traffic is affected as uprooted trees and electric posts remain on every road and by-lanes and it will take sometime to clear them. There is a huge demand for generators. Thousands of trees were uprooted in the rain accompanied by gusty wind.
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Acres of paddy cultivated in the district are also submerged in water. About 168 tanks and lakes were filled to capacity and breaches in many places created islets of water. In many areas water had entered into residential areas, especially newly built houses near water bodies and paddy fields. Putheri lake, one of the biggest lakes in the district, reached its capacity and its bund had to be dug to avoid a breach. Bus services are being run only through routes less affected by water.
Palairaru or Pakruli river, which has reference in Sangam literature, is in spate and the people living in surrounding areas like Karkadu and Puravachery were evacuated.