The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : Sudden downpour catches people unawares

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 15, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Sudden downpour catches people unawares

S. Sundar

DRENCHED TO THE SKIN: The sudden sharp showers drenched the unexpected residents of Madurai and flooded Gokhale Road on Thursday. — Photo: K. Ganesan.

MADURAI: A heavy downpour for nearly an hour brought normal life, especially the movement of people returning home from offices, schools and colleges, to a grinding halt on Thursday evening. Most arterial roads in the northern part of the city were flooded. Madurai Airport recorded 53 mm of rainfall in 90 minutes till 5.30 p.m.

The sharp showers forced two-wheelers off the roads. Visibility was reduced to a few metres and stagnant water on the roads and by-lanes created traffic snarls.

The rain followed a strong wind that blew for a short while at 4 p.m. Caught unawares by the sudden opening of the skies most students and office-goers, in the absence of umbrellas, were drenched. They took shelter inside nearby buildings, from tea shops to commercial establishments.

The roads that were almost deserted during the downpour witnessed a sudden rush later. Gokhale Road and Palace Road were inundated and people were seen wading through knee-deep water. Potholes on the roads and uneven pedestrian walks added to their woes.

Though roadside hawkers had to wind up their business early this evening, tea-stalls and the ubiquitous `vada' shops made a roaring business. Autorickshaw drivers and call-taxi operators too had a field day.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

Varsity to project `science strengths' in New Delhi

Writ plea wants reservation for tsunami-affected students in professional courses

HC Bench seeks report from CoP

Pleading for justice on their own

Sudden downpour catches people unawares