Heavy rain lashes across Tamil Nadu, more showers expected
Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur in isolated places in Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai districts.
Widespread rains lashed Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, and heavy rains are likely to occur in isolated places in the state.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), with the exception to parts of Chennai with 63.5 mm rainfall, Ramanathapuram with 149 mm and Nagapattinam with 90 mm, Tamil Nadu will receive less than 50 mm of rainfall on Tuesday, according to the latest weather report from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inspected the infrastructure development and renovation works being undertaken in the south Chennai area to improve the waterways so that flood water can easily flow into the sea during the monsoon season.
These works include deepening, widening, constructing covered canals with concrete walls, stormwater drains as well as desilting the areas where the canals meet the sea and the estuarine areas.
Udhayanidhi visited Okkiam Madhavi canal, where the work is being undertaken at a cost of ₹27 crore. He also inspected the desilting work in Kannagi Nagar area, an official release said.
Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur in isolated places in Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Cuddalore districts, as well as Puducherry and Karaikal areas. Thunderstorms and lightning are likely to occur at one or two places here.
According to TNSMART, (Tamil Nadu System for Multi-hazard potential impact assessment, Alert, emergency Response planning and Tracking), Thangachimadam and Mandapam in Ramanathapuram will receive 170 mm and 143 mm rainfall respectively on Tuesday.
Virudhunagar's Watrap will receive 0.2 mm rainfall and Ice House in Chennai with 0.3 mm rainfall, it said.
Relentless rains in and around Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli district for the past two days have affected thousands of acres of paddy crop harvesting, local farmers said.
Speaking to PTI Videos, a farmer from Kakanallur village, Subramaniam, said because there was no respite between south west and north east monsoons this year, they had no time to harvest paddy.
"Fields are still standing with ripe paddy. If it continues to rain, farmers here will be affected. One thing the government can do to relieve our burden is enable door-step procurement of rice as soon as we finish harvesting," said Subramaniam.
According to him, even the paddy crop that some have managed to harvest could not be collected due to the early onset of northeast monsoon.
In several areas that the PTI team visited, paddy stalks are seen bent over, and in some places they have begun sprouting from the base.
Northeast monsoon has intensified across Tirunelveli, affecting agricultural villages like Mannarkoil, Ayan, Thiruvaalieswaram, Kakanallur, Vaigaikulam and Bramadesam.
