The Hindu : Front Page : Widespread rainfall in southern districts

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 23, 2005

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Widespread rainfall in southern districts

Madurai Bureau

Old woman killed in wall collapse

ANOTHER WET WORKING DAY: Residents trying to channelise rainwater using cement pipes on Pechiamman Padithurai Road in Madurai on Tuesday.

MADURAI: The nine southern districts received widespread rainfall on account of the depression in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. An old woman was killed in a wall collapse and about 50 houses were partly submerged in Madurai district. Sixty houses were damaged and four tanks breached in Sivaganga district. Squally weather prevailed in the coastal areas of Ramanathapuram. Fishermen were warned against venturing into the sea during the next 24 hours, as wind, with a velocity of 55 km to 60 km, was expected to lash the Tuticorin coast. In Madurai and Dindigul, normal life was affected as arterial roads were flooded.

Tiruppattur, Devakottai and Karaikudi in Sivaganga district recorded the maximum rainfall, ranging from 136 mm to 143 mm, in the region in the last 24 hours, ending 8.30 a.m. Almost all the tanks in the district had water nearing their full capacity and minor breaches were noticed in four tanks in Tiruppattur, Kalayarkovil and Mettukudi. Karaikudi recorded 143 mm of rainfall in seven hours, between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. About 10,000 fishermen kept away from the sea for the second consecutive day in Ramanathapuram district. Tourists were advised against visiting Dhanushkodi and Arichamunai. Three fishermen from Tranquebar in Nagapattinam district who set off to sea on November 19 reached shore at Olaikuda in Rameswaram.

The rain brought cheers to the farmers of Tirunelveli district. There was significant rainfall in Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai, but the catchment areas of major reservoirs were dry. Flow in the Main Falls at Courtallam crossed the concrete arch in the evening. Rainfall was moderate in Tuticorin district, which recorded 142.9 mm. It was scanty in Kanyakumari district. Normal life was paralysed in Dindigul town as rainwater inundated low-lying areas. Incessant rainfall was experienced in various parts of Virudhunagar district.

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