Gale hits normal life in Thoothukudi

Several trees were uprooted and hoardings brought down

A gale that lashed the city and other parts of the district on Wednesday badly affected normal life for a while by uprooting trees and bringing down hoardings, leading to consequent power cut.

Though the strong westerly wind hit Thoothukudi since morning, the wind velocity reached its peak after 10 a.m. to dip the visibility, with dust engulfing roads completely. Two-wheeler riders had to stop their vehicles and some who dared to continue riding the vehicles were pushed aside to sustain minor injuries.

Vehicular traffic on Thoothukudi– Palayamkottai Road, Tiruchendur Road and Ettaiyapuram Road was badly hit as the hoardings put up at shops were brought down on these busy thoroughfares. When branches of trees crashed down, the road users abandoned their vehicles at relatively safer places and took shelter under nearby shops.

The chimney of the Corporation crematorium came crashing down in the gale and fell on high-tension power cables, leading to power cut at several parts of the city.

“We received complaints of power cut from public from various parts of Thoothukudi and we are attending to these problems,” said a senior Tangedco official.

Even though Tangedco employees rushed to the affected areas to restore power supply, the gale affected maintenance works at SIPCOT Industrial Estate, Pandarampatti, Authoor, Arumuganeri, Tiruchendur, Meignanapuram, Udangudi and the northern parts of the district.