Heavy rain lashes Salem, Namakkal districts

Due to heavy downpour in Rasipuram, rainwater entered into old buildings in the government hospital. Patients were shifted and rainwater was pumped out

Heavy rains hit Salem and Namakkal districts on Sunday night, and Rasipuram alone received 20 cm of rainfall in Namakkal district. Salem district received 337.50 mm of rainfall and Namakkal district received 554.20 mm of rainfall.

On Sunday around 8 p.m., there was a downpour in various parts of Salem and Namakkal districts, especially rural areas. At Rasipuram alone, 200 mm was recorded and rain water entered into various wards in Rasipuram Government Hospital. The patients were immediately shifted to other wards that were not affected by the rain. Rasipuram Municipality staff cleared the rainwater in the hospital and cleaned the wards using disinfectants. Similarly, standing crops on several acres in rural areas in both districts were submerged.

On Monday, Namakkal District Collector Shreya P. Singh inspected Rasipuram Government Hospital. Speaking to reporters, Ms. Shreya Singh said that due to heavy rain in Rasipuram, rain water entered into old buildings in the government hospital. Water entered into male, female, children’s, and isolation wards, and 49 patients in these wards were shifted immediately. The rainwater was pumped out of the hospital. The collector added that the municipality has undertaken storm water drainage work to prevent rain water from entering the hospital.

When asked about camps for people affected by the floods in the River Cauvery, Collector Shreya Singh said camps were set up in two places, in Komarapalayam and in Pallipalayam. Considering the discharge from Mettur dam, officials are working round the clock in these areas to safeguard people from flood water, she added.

In the last 24 hours that ended on Monday at 8 a.m., the average rainfall in Salem district was 22.50 mm and Edappadi received the highest amount of 63 mm of rainfall, followed by 54.2 mm in Sankagiri, 37 mm in Thammampatti, 30.2 mm in Mettur, 28.4 mm in Omalur, 27 mm in Aanaimaduvu, 22.5 mm in Pethanaickenpalayam, 21 mm in Kariyakovil, 15.6 mm in Yercaud, 12.2 mm in Salem, 10 mm in Kadayampatti, 8.4 mm in Attur, 5 mm in Veeraganur and 3 mm in Gangavalli.

In Namakkal district, the average rainfall is 46.18 mm and Rasipuram received the highest amount of 200 mm, followed by 54 mm in Puduchatram, 50 mm in Namakkal, 43 mm in Collectorate, 39 mm in Senthamangalam, 35 mm in Erumapatti, 30 mm in Kolli Hills Semmedu, 24 mm in Mohanur, 21.60 mm in Komarapalayam, 21 mm in Tiruchengode, 20 mm in Paramathi Velur and 16.60 mm in Mangalapuram.