After a brief lull for about 72 hours, the district experienced widespread rainfall coupled with thunder in the early hours of Wednesday, forcing the district administration to declare a day’s holiday for schools and colleges.
However, scheduled examinations in the colleges and Manonmaniam Sundaranar University were conducted, as Collector M. Karunakaran allowed administrations of the higher educational institutions to proceed with their examination plans.
While the areas close to the Western Ghats in the district experienced good rainfall, the plains recorded a decent rainfall on Wednesday. The sudden downpour that started around 3.45 a.m. with deafening thunder lasted for about 20 minutes in the city and areas like Nanguneri, and it started drizzling after 5 a.m. Since the strong drizzle continued till 6.45 a.m., Dr. Karunakaran declared a day’s holiday for educational institutions.
A huge tree in Perumalpuram was uprooted by the rain coupled with strong winds snapping electricity supply to the nearby areas. Power supply could be resumed only after Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation staff, with the help of Fire and Rescue Services personnel, removed the uprooted tree.
Rainwater stagnated at Xavier Colony, Bharani Nagar, Balabhagya Nagar and Quaid-E-Millet Nagar.
Rainfall
Rainfall recorded in the district was (in mm): Palayamkottai – 60, Nanguneri – 59, Alangulam – 48.40, Nambiyar dam – 43, Cheranmahadevi – 40, Tirunelveli – 36, Kodumudiyar dam – 35, Kalakkad – 25.20, Radhapuram – 24, Ambasamudram – 23.20, Manimuthar dam – 18.20, Aayikudi – 15.20, Moolaikkaraipatti – 12.40, Gundar dam – 11, Karuppanadhi dam – 7, Shencottai – 6, Ramanadhi dam and Papanasam dam – 3 (each), Tenkasi – 2 and Servalar dam – 1.
Water level in the dams was (maximum capacity in feet in brackets): Servalar – 98.72 (156); Gadana – 72.50 (85); Ramanadhi – 71.75 (84); Karuppanadhi – 70.21 (72); Gundar – 36.10 (36.10); Adavinainar – 103 (142); Vadakku Pachchaiyar – 24.50 (67); Kodumudiyar – 25 (57) and Nambiyar – 12.50 (25).
Kanyakumari
Moderate rain continued in few parts of Kanyakumari district on Tuesday night. Due to poor rain in the catchment areas of Pechiparai, Perunchani and Chittar I dams, inflow into the dams has been reduced to 540 cft, 606 cft and 279 cft respectively.
A surplus quantum of 504 cft is being released from Perunchani dam and 250 cft from Chittar I.
Water level of dams was (in feet): Pechiparai – 44.75, Perunchani – 74.55, Chittar I – 16.17, Chittar II – 16.27, Poigai – 12.80 and Mambazhathuraiaru – 54.12.
Rainfall recorded in in the district was (in mm): Poigai – 13, Mambazhathuraiaru – 2, Anaikkidangu – 3, Nagercoil – 1.2, Boothapandi – 2, Surulode – 2, Kannimar – 7.2, Aralvoimozhi – 13, Mayiladi – 10.2 and Kottaram – 14.
