Rains Persist in Tamil Nadu, Standing Crops Damaged in Cauvery Delta

Chennai: Intermittent rains continued on Wednesday in the state's Cauvery delta areas affecting standing paddy crops, and the India Meteorological Department said cyclonic storm will form soon and later weaken and reach the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts as a deep depression by November 30 morning.

Crops were submerged partially and completely at several places, including those in and around Tiruvarur, Thiruthuraipoondi, Muthupettai, Mayiladuthurai, and Vedaranyam, and according to farmers' rough estimates, crops on at least 2,000 acres were affected.

Also, huge acreage of salt pans in the districts of Nagapattinam (Vedaranyam) and Villupuram (Marakkanman) came under water.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed shock over reports that 1,500 acres of paddy crop have been affected in Thiruthuraipoondi (Tiruvarur district) and demanded that officials inspect rain-hit areas and urged the DMK regime to provide appropriate relief to farmers.

Farmers leader P R Pandian alleged that canals and rivers were not properly desilted in the delta areas.

The IMD said the deep depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved slowly north-northwestwards with a speed of 3 kmph. It is 320 km southeast of Nagappattinam, 420 km southeast of Puducherry and 500 km south-southeast of Chennai.

Further, the update posted on 'X' at 9.29 pm on Wednesday said: "It is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards skirting Sri Lanka coast and intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. Thereafter, it will continue to move north-northwestwards and reach near north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts as a deep depression around morning of 30th November." Ministers TRB Rajaa and Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi made spot inspections. District officials inspected the affected localities and senior state officials coordinated rain-related relief work.

Rain-related incidents, including the collapse of an old house at Tarangampadi and the wall of a Dharga's tank at Jambuvanodai in Tiruvarur district have been reported. Trees were uprooted and some fell on nearby electricity poles causing power failure and many localities were inundated.

According to an IMD's rainfall update, very heavy rainfall was recorded in several areas, including Nagapattinam (19 cm) and Chennai (13 cm), from 8.30 am on November 26 until 8.30 am the following day.

Also, there was widespread heavy rainfall, including in the delta areas, and the rest of the state experienced mild to moderate showers. NDRF and state teams have been deployed in delta districts and Chennai as well.

Given the rains, November 27 was declared a holiday for schools and colleges, including Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai districts. A holiday has been declared only for schools in Chennai, Chengelpet, Ariyalur, and Kanchipuram.