Parched streets of Vellore and adjoining big towns, including Ambur, Arcot, Vaniyambadi, Tirupattur, Wallajah, Sholingur and Arakkonam received heavy rainfall on Thursday night.
Low-lying areas like Sampath Nagar and Kansalpet in Vellore were flooded with knee-deep water disrupting the daily lives of residents in these areas. Power was shut down to prune overgrown trees and fallen branches on the key stretches in the district.
Clogged stormwater drains were cleared by the civic officials of the Vellore Corporation to ensure free flow of rainwater from the streets.
“Conservancy workers removed garbage from street corner bins. Disinfectants were also sprayed along key stretches and busy intersections,” said N. Sankaran, Commissioner, Vellore Corporation.
The downpour continued through the night on Thursday with Vellore district, which includes Arcot, Wallajah and Arakkonam, recording an average rainfall of 54.3 mm, while Tirupattur recorded 55.5 mm and Vaniyambadi received 64 mm of rainfall.
In Tiruvannamalai district, Kalasapakkam received the highest rainfall. Most of the areas in Vellore and adjoining neighbourhoods remained cloudy on Friday.
Bridge flooded
Thursday's overnight spell flooded the low-level bridge in Amballur, a bordering village along the Palar river in Vaniyambadi taluk of Tirupattur district, after over three decades.
The bridge, which was built by the State Highways across the Palar river four decades ago, is the key link for the residents of the village to reach Andhra Pradesh via Lakshmipuram village.
Many tourists use the bridge to reach Naniyala elephant camp in Chittoor. "Such sudden showers help to recharge the watertable in the neighbourhood and also to irrigate the paddy fields,” said 56-year-old A. Ashokan, a resident in Amballur village.
