Heavy rain claims four lives in TN

Heavy rain that has continued to batter Tamil Nadu since Sunday night has claimed four lives, including a woman and a 12-year-old girl, even as the Met department forecasts rains for the next 48 hours.

More than 20 districts have been receiving heavy rain in the last 48 hours under the influence of the southwest monsoon, which is active over interior Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

“Due to convective activity over entire State, isolated heavy rain may occur over Tamil Nadu northern part of the region during the next 48 hours,” a senior Met official said.
According to a weather bulletin on Tuesday evening, fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were warned not to venture into sea as strong winds from the Southwesterly  direction gusting 45-55 kmph is likely along and off the states’ coastline.
Meanwhile, rain claimed four lives in the state including, a woman and a girl. Salamal (60) and her 12-year old grand daughter Sathya died when they touched a snapped live wire at their paddy field at Kariyamangalam in Virudhunagar district.

Two persons—Diliraj (19) from Gopichettypallayam in Erode district and Kanakaraj (25) in Kancheepuram district—died when portion of wall collapsed over them.

Sankaridurg in Salem district received 9 CM rains in the last 24 hours, followed by Polur in Tiruvannamalai which received 8 CM downpour.

Heavy rain in neighbouring Karnataka have brought good inflow to Mettur’s Stanley reservoir, which remains the lifeline for farmers in the delta districts. Water levels in the reservoir reached about 90 feet.

“The inflow is about 11,000 cusecs and the outflow for Samba crop cultivation is about 10,000 cusecs,” a senior PWD official said.

Reservoirs close to or on the Western Ghats including Mullaperiyar, Vaigai, Sholayar and Aliyar continue to receive healthy inflow of water, while Manimuthar across Tamirabarani river also received good inflow.

Dams in southern region like Bhavanisagar, Papanasam, Sholayar and Parambikulam have been getting good water in the last couple of days.