Heavy rain pounds Nagapattinam district

Nagapattinam district receives heavy rain, impacting crops; officials monitor situation and prepare relief measures for affected areas.

Most parts of Nagapattinam district received heavy rain for the third consecutive day on Wednesday as the Cauvery delta region continued to receive widespread rain under the North East monsoon.

Kodiyakarai in Nagapattinam district registered 15 cm of rainfall, the maximum in the region, over the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday. Heavy rains continue to pound the district right through the day. According to figures provided by the district administration, Vedaranyam taluk received 110.13 mm of rainfall between 8.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Thirupoondi taluk recorded 104.20 mm, Nagapattinam 91.20 mm and Thirukuvalai 75.60 mm during the same period.

Farmers who had been happy initially over an active monsoon are now keeping their fingers crossed as continued heavy rains could lead to submergence of standing paddy crop. Already inundation of paddy fields are reported in some low-lying areas.

The worst hit are farmers who have gone for late kuruvai crop in some parts of the district. “The crop, which is ready for harvest, has started lodging due to the continuous rain during the day since 4 a.m. on Wednesday,” said Cauvery Dhanapalan, president, Tamil Nadu Vivasaya Sangankalin Kootamaippu.

Though there are reports of submergence of crops in some low-lying areas, the water is draining. However, if the heavy rain continues, the situation can change, he said. A senior official of the Agriculture Department expressed a similar view. However, he said submergence of late kuruvai crop is restricted to a few areas only.

Paddy has been raised on about 65,000 hectares during this samba season in the district and so far the crop has not been affected, he added.

Collector P.Akash fanned out to various parts of the district to inspect the steps taken to drain rain water from habitations and fields. He inspected the works in Velankanni and Thalaignayiru town panchayats and Keezhaiyur, besides Vedaranyam and Kodaiyakarai, which have been receiving the heaviest rains in the past few days.