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A little more than a fortnight after severe cyclone Michaung pulverised the capital city of Chennai to the North with massive rain and floods, the southern parts of Tamil Nadu saw themselves being swamped by exceptionally heavy rain triggered by what should normally have been an innocuous, rudimentary cyclonic circulation located around Sri Lanka and moving West into the Comorin region.
Moves at a slow pace
Its slow movement and the huge transport of moisture from the seas ensured that rain-heavy clouds locked themselves into position over the southern districts of the State and adjoining Kerala, with Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, and Tirunelveli bearing the brunt. Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi recorded an ‘extreme exceptional’ rain of 95 cm during a 24-hour period ending on Sunday.
Exceptionally heavy rain
This was followed by 69 cm at Tiruchendur; 62 cm at Srivaikundam; 61 cm at Moolaikaraipatti; 55.2 cm at Manjolai; and 52.5 cm at Kovilpatti (all in Thoothukudi district) and 51.4 cm at Gundar dam (Tenkasi) during the same period. A number of other centres recorded exceptionally heavy rain ranging between 37 cm and 50 cm. The rainfall amounts represented unusual torrents battering the plains of South Tamil Nadu and that too during the fag end of the North-East monsoon season.
IMD issues warning
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had flagged the possibility of extremely and exceptionally heavy rain for the region during the weekend but apparently not the huge quantum realised, as was the case with the experience in Chennai and its neighbourhood when Michaung raced in much closer than anticipated. The heavy rain in the South seems to have receded in parts, but not the floodwaters. Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli continued to receive extremely heavy rain during the 24 hours ending on Tuesday.
Railways impacted badly
The Southern Railway said in a press release that unprecedented rain had occurred in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi from Sunday to Monday, measuring in the range of 67 cm to 95 cm. This has impacted train operations as tracks were breached in certain sections falling in these two districts and as a result, traffic has had to be suspended. The landslip occurred in the Talaiyuthu- Gangaikondan section on the approach bank and the ballast was washed away. The Tirunelveli station yard was flooded due to an overflowing Nainarkulam tank, with the water level rising one meter above the rail level. In the Tattapparai-Milavittan section, water levels went above danger level across nine bridges. In the Srivaikuntam-Seydunganallur section too, the ballast was washed away.
More rain likely
On Tuesday morning, the IMD said the causative cyclonic circulation stayed put over Comorin and has warned of isolated heavy rain over Lakshadweep and South Tamil Nadu during the day. It will be light to moderate in most places over Lakshadweep, while the same will extend over Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Mahe during the next five days. Squally weather with wind speeds reaching 30-40 km/hr has been warned over Lakshadweep area on Tuesday and fishermen are advised not to venture out.
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