Heavy rainfall for about three to four hours in the early hours of Saturday brought normal life to a halt in Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai and in the neighbouring Thoothukudi district.
Since 3 a.m., the sharp showers gradually increased and a heavy downpour was experienced till 7 a.m., residents in Palayamkottai said. The rainfall, which hit the town after about 10 days of dry spell, came as a surprise to many residents. The rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, led to inundation in many localities.
The early morning walkers had to stay indoors and farmers bringing their produce to the uzhavar sandhais and other markets were caught in the rain. Traffic on many of the main thoroughfares struggled to move freely as waterlogging hampered smooth flow.
In Melapalayam, the uzhavar sandhai was water logged. Likewise, water flowing on the roads in Corporation Office, Palayamkottai, VOC Grounds, Old Bus Stand and opposite Central Prisons and near police residential quarters resulted in vehicles moving ata snail’s pace.
In Thoothukudi district, widespread rain since Friday night was reported in Tiruchendur, parts of Kovilpatti, Vilathikulam, Srivaikuntam and other pockets.
The city too experienced rain since early Saturday for about an hour. Many low-lying areas in the Corporation limits suffered waterlogging. Mayor Jagan Periasami directed the engineering wing of the Corporation to pump out the water and senior officials supervised the operation after the rain stopped.
Palayamkottai Main Road, P and T Colony, Lourdammalpuram and other areas had complaints of waterlogging. The rainfall recorded in the last 24 hours ending 6 a.m. on Saturday in Vilathikulam was 32 mm, Srivaikuntam: 30 and Tiruchendur recorded 20 mm rainfall, PWD officials said.
