Thousands have been displaced and many villages marooned in the northern districts of Tirupattur, Ranipet, Vellore, Cuddalore and Chengalpattu with the Palar and the Thenpennaiar in spate on Saturday. Vast tracts of agricultural land were submerged in floodwaters and livestocks washed away.
With their homes surrounded by water, many residents were rescued and temporarily rehabilitated in relief camps.
The otherwise parched Palar river was in full flow owing to the heavy rain in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh as well as in its catchments in Tamil Nadu. A decades-old bridge that connected Madhanur near Ambur and Gudiyatham collapsed after the huge increase in the Palar water level, cutting off many villages in Tirupattur and Vellore. In Ambur alone, the authorities set up 25 relief camps. Water discharge was stepped up from the Poonai and Palar anaicuts into the Palar over the past few days following heavy rain.
In Cuddalore and Panruti taluks, over 11,000 persons have been housed in relief camps. Residents of 30 coastal hamlets have been affected by the flooding.
Ministers and district administration officials along with the police and fire and rescue services personnel are involved in the relief and rehabilitation efforts.
