Tamil Nadu has received 68% excess rainfall during the ongoing northeast monsoon and three people and over 300 heads of cattle were killed in the last 24 hours, the government said on Saturday, November 20.
A large quantum of water was being released from reservoirs including at Mettur in Salem, which caters to the Cauvery delta districts. Thenpennai river in Villupuram was overflowing while Palar in Kancheepuram was brimming. While 65,000 cusecs of water was being released from Mettur, the quantum at Poondi, which caters to Chennai, was 29,684 cusecs.
Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, KKSSR Ramachandran said the state has received 518.99 mm of rainfall from October 1 till date, which was an excess of 68% during this period.
Thirty-seven districts in the state received rainfall in the last 24 hours, with Tirupathur district receiving the highest of 39.91 mm, he said in a release. In Villupuram, 18,500 hectares of farmlands were inundated due to the overflowing Thenpennai and efforts were on to clear the water. Around 10,000 people in the district have been lodged in 220 relief camps. In neighbouring Cuddalore district, the number of persons in such camps was 4,000.
"In the last 24 hours, three people have been killed in Krishnagiri and Tiruvannamalai districts," he said, adding 368 heads of cattle had also perished.
Teams of NDRF were involved in various activities in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Vellore.
Further, 419 camps were active in 14 districts of the state where a little over 34,000 people, evacuated from low-lying areas, have been housed, Ramachandran added.
Around 15,000 people from the two districts have been lodged in relief camps while 18,500 hectares of farm lands were submerged in Villupuram due to the overflowing Thenpennai river.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel evacuated stranded people in water-logged areas in Cuddalore, Villupuram and Ranipet districts using boats.
Over 1,900 such affected persons in the three districts, besides Kancheepuram, Kallakurichi, Chengalpet and Vellore have been rescued in the past two days, officials said.
With the Kosasthalai river in Tiruvallur overflowing and leading to flooding in Manali near Chennai, Chief Minister M K Stalin visited the affected areas and directed officials concerned to expedite relief work.