Rain lashes Tirunelveli; one dead

orage level in Manimuthar dam rose by 6.6 ft in less than 24 hours; many low-lying areas inundated in Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari

For the second consecutive day, widespread rain in the district resulted in steep rise in Manimuthar dam by 6.6 feet within 24 hours on Saturday.

The PWD engineers released the surplus water from the reservoir into the Tamirabharani river.

As a result, many low lying areas, causeways and culverts were either flooded or submerged in rainwater.

According to reports reaching the district administration, the rain had claimed the life of an 81-year-old man identified as Kandasami of Kusavankulam near Nanguneri.

It is said that when the elderly person was in his house, it had collapsed and he died on the spot.

As many as 11 dwellings across the district were reported damaged, however, there were no casualties, officials said.

While the district administration has appealed to the people to stay away from the river bank side and has banned bathing in falls, including Agasthiyar and Courtallam, the Tirunelveli Corporation has opened up flood relief centres and accommodated people from low-lying areas and those who had complained of their being dwellings being washed away.

The PWD officials said that the Karupanthurai bridge had to be closed for traffic after it got submerged.

Taking precautionary measure, the police also suspended vehicular movement between Melapalayam and Tirunelveli due to the water flowing on the road.

The Subramania Swamy temple in Kurukuthurai, Selvi Amman Temple in Vannarpet, Thaipoosa Mandapam, Sudalaimada Swami Temple, Isakki Amman Temple and among others were surrounded by rainwater. The priests closed the temple around noon.

The PWD engineers said that on Saturday morning, the discharge from Papanasam dam was 16,000 cusecs.

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