Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu): Heavy rains crippled normal life in the Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu, especially Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, and Thanjavur, under the influence of a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal, inundating several residential colonies and paddy crops in hundreds of acres on Wednesday.
Schools and colleges remain closed in Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore, Tiruvarur, Villupuram, Tiruvallur, Thanjavur, and Tiruchirapalli Ramanathapuram district, while schools remain shut in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Pudukottai, Sivaganga and Ariyalur, owing to heavy downpours, officials said.
Several houses were marooned by rainwater at Nondithpoppu and Aandikaadu villages in Thanjavur district, Sirkazhi, Kollidam, Poompuhar, Tharangambadi and Kuthalam in Mayiladuthurai district, while more than fifty huts were inundated at Thoppukaadu at Pamban coastal hamlet. Paddy crops in over 1,300 acres of Keezhvelur in Nagapattinam were submerged, causing concern to the farmers.
Reports reaching here said salt production in 9,000 acres at Kodiyakkarai, Agasthiyanpalli, Kailavanampettai, Kodiakadu, and Kadinenvayal villages at Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district as salterns were submerged in rain waters, affecting livelihood of around 5,000 employees depending on the salt production.
A portion of a 150-year-old house collapsed at Paalur village at Tharangambadi in the Mayiladuthurai district this morning. The inmates of the house escaped unhurt.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in the affected district to carry out relief and rescue operations.
