Continuous heavy rain in Madurai leaves several areas inundated, restoration works on

Heavy rain in Madurai district causes flooding, prompting restoration efforts by officials and ministers, impacting residents and infrastructure.

Continuous heavy rain in Madurai district has left many areas inundated. Restoration works were under way on Saturday. Ministers and officials inspected the affected areas and oversaw the restoration works.

As per official records, in a short span of 15 minutes on Friday (October 25), 4.5 cm rain was recorded. An unprecedented rainfall of 9.8 cm in Madurai district was recorded on that day.

The residents of Needhi Nagar, one of the affected areas, near Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, complained of knee-deep water stagnation in the area. A portion of the compound wall of the High Court abutting Needhi Nagar had collapsed during the heavy rain on Friday. The water that inundated the main roads was being pumped out and let into the vacant sites.

Some of the residents of the area said they had to move to the houses of their relatives in other parts of the city as heavy rain had inundated the roads. The water had entered some of their houses too. The residents also feared that snakes would enter their houses as there was wild growth in the area. They said stagnant water would lead to mosquito proliferation.

The residents said there had already been waterlogging in the area due to the previous spells of rain. They felt that they were in no man’s land. While one part of the area was under the Corporation limits, the other part came under a panchayat.

They said this had put a big question mark over implementation of basic infrastructure facilities in the area such as laying roads, installing street lights and underground drainage pipelines. Without a proper drainage system how would the water recede, they asked.

Similarly, Athikulam, Mahalakshmi Nagar, Gandhipuram, Surveyor Colony, New Natham Road and Narayanapuram were some of the other places in the city that were affected by rain. Several rural pockets in the district were also affected.