Moderate rainfall across delta region

Moderate rainfall in delta region prompts school closures, inundation of crops, and drainage efforts by officials.

Several parts of the delta region received moderate overnight rainfall with Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam recording the maximum rainfall of 10 cm in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday.

The town had recorded 19 cm of rainfall during the preceding 24 hours. Vedaranyam, Kodiyakarai and some other parts of the delta districts received light to moderate rainfall during the day on Tuesday too.

Nagapattinam Collector P. Akash, who had declared a holiday for schools in the district, inspected some of the areas which received heavy rainfall. He inspected some of the inundated areas on EGS Pillay Engineering College Road, New Nambiyar Nagar Tsunami Habitations, and site of the road over bridge at Akkarapettai, where water had stagnated.

He instructed the Municipality officials to take steps to drain the water in the town and the Water Resources Department officials to remove the water hyacinth on Odampokkiyaru Canal to ensure free flow of water.

After the moderate overnight rainfall across the district, Thanjavur Collector B. Priyanka Pankajam announced that headmasters of schools, in rain-affected areas, can declare holiday for the institutions on Tuesday, if need be. A holiday was declared for schools in Karaikal district in neighbouring Puducherry in view of the rain.

There was inundation of standing paddy crops in a few pockets in the delta region. However, officials expect the rain to drain quickly as the rain has not been very heavy.

In Pudukottai, Collector M. Aruna inspected the work on draining the stagnant rainwater in Ayyanarkovil and Kattukollai in Thandalai panchayat in Manamelkudi union. She instructed officials to take swift action to prevent inundation of residential areas.