The Hindu : Front Page : Torrential rain in Theni district

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Friday, Oct 26, 2007
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Torrential rain in Theni district

K. Raju

Fast and furious: Mullaperiyar river in spate, as seen at Veerapandi near Theni on Thursday.

THENI: Torrential rain that lashed Theni district on Thursday resulted in a sharp rise in storage level of Vaigai dam and inundated several acres of sugarcane and paddy crops and marooned houses in Uppakottai and Veerapandi.

The level rose by more than nine feet in Vaigai dam and by two feet in Periyar dam since Wednesday. Flash floods in the Mullaperiyar entered many houses in Uppukottai and Veerapandi following heavy rain.

A sudden surge in flow in the river also affected Kundalanaickenpatti, Koozhaiyur, Ambasamudram, Uthamapalayam, Margayankottai and nearby areas. Heavy flow in the Kottakudi and the Vaigai provided copious flow in the Vaigai dam where the level touched 59.15 feet (full level 71 feet) by 9 p.m. on Thursday. It stood at 50.07 feet on Wednesday. Storage in Periyar dam rose to 133.9 feet (136 feet) from 131.7 feet. Flow in the Mullaperiyar was around 27,000 cusecs.

Heavy downpour in Varushanadu and Upper Manalar areas augmented flow in Suruli Falls and the Vaigai. Water flowed over a bridge near Uthamapalayam, paralysing traffic for some time.

Landslips

Vehicular traffic was disrupted owing to minor landslips on Cumbum-Kumuli and Bodi-Munnar highways. A 20-metre-long stretch was damaged as boulders fell on Bodi-Munnar road. A tree fell on Theni-Cumbum road near Palanichettipatti disrupting traffic for an hour. Sand bags were used to plug breaches on river banks. Villagers in low-lying areas and riverbanks were asked to move to safer places. The level touched 110 feet (126 feet) in Sothuparai dam following heavy rain in Kodaikanal hills.

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