In a horrifying incident, the corpse of an old man was seen floating near a bus stop in Nellai, a town in Tirunelveli, on Tuesday, December 19. Tirunelveli is one among the southern Tamil Nadu districts that has been receiving heavy rainfall over the past few days. Police and rescue forces retrieved the body shortly after it was found, but they have not been able to ascertain the identity of the deceased person yet. Reports said that the man could have died due to the flood.
Along with Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, and Ramanathapuram have been receiving heavy showers over the past few days. Four people have died in Tirunelveli in rain-related incidents. Thoothukudi received 50 cm rainfall over the past 24 hours while Tirunelveli received 31 cm. National Disaster Rescue Forces and State Disaster Rescue Forces have been deployed in both districts to help with the relief efforts.
Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers have been stranded at the Srivaikuntam railway station after a portion of the railway tracks in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi was washed away in the rains. The Chendur Express had to be halted at the Srivaikuntam station on December 17 around 10 pm and passengers were stranded because rescue teams from both the state and Union governments were unable to reach them for more than 24 hours.