Thoothukudi received a whopping 25 cm of rain within just nine hours on Thursday, flooding several parts of the district. A red alert has been issued for the district by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The Thoothukudi airport diverted flights from Chennai to Tiruchy and train services were affected as rail tracks were inundated. Water has entered even the famous Tiruchendur Subramanya Swamy temple.
Several areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh, some of which are still reeling from the impact of recent heavy rains, are likely to witness heavy rains yet again over the next five days.
From 25 to 29 November, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in isolated places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam, south Coastal Andhra Pradesh (Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, and Nellore districts), and Rayalaseema region (Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool, and Chittoor districts).
The India Meteorological Department announced on Thursday that the cyclonic circulation over the south-west Bay of Bengal off the south Sri Lanka coast may not intensify into a low-pressure area. However, it would continue to bring rain of very heavy intensity over south Tamil Nadu and gradually cover the north coastal and adjoining districts till 29 November.
A holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in 22 districts including Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Cuddalore, Tiruvarur, Tenkasi and Villupuram, as well as Pondicherry and Karaikal.
More than 2,300 homes have been damaged due to the heavy rain since October. Crops spread over more than 50,000 hectares have been damaged by heavy rain till now which has been 68 per cent more than average downpour this monsoon season.
Recently, a central team completed a visit to assess the damage as the state has sought a Rs 2,600-crore relief package.
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