The Hindu : Front Page : Many villages near Mandapam inundated

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Thursday, Nov 16, 2006
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Many villages near Mandapam inundated

C. Jaishankar

Road connectivity snapped

MAROONED: A scene at Karan village near Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district.

RAMANATHAPURAM: In the wake of torrential rain, more than 20 villages of the Mandapam panchayat union in the district have been cut off from the State.

Flash floods have washed away several roads, forcing the State Transport Corporation to suspend services in many routes.

Rainwater has flooded residential areas in Uchipuli, Karan, Kambaram, Tamaraikulam, Raghunathapuram, Sethunagar, Koravalli, Nathakulam, Mettukaran, Keelamankundu and Melamankundu, submerging huts in some villages.

Some of the road stretches — Tamaraikulam-Nochioorani, Raghunathapuram-Kumbaram, Vazhuthur Vilakku-Raghunathapuram, Sathappan Valasai-Ariyaman beach — have been cut off. Knee-deep to waist-deep water is flowing on many roads and at several places across the National Highway 49.

Supply of essential commodities such as milk, vegetables and grocery items has been stopped following water inundation in many villages. Most of the office-goers and students have been stranded in their villages in the absence of bus services.

The Collector, K.S. Muthuswaamy, told The Hindu that officials have been directed to rescue the stranded people. Cyclone relief centres were opened in many villages of the Mandapam union. The affected people would be given shelter in safer places. "Help from the Navy and Coast Guard will be sought if the situation worsened," he said.

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