SALEM: Salem and neighbouring districts like Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Erode received heavy rain starting Tuesday night. Theerthamalai in Dharmapuri district received the highest of 176 mm rainfall in Tamil Nadu in the 12 hours from 6am to 4.30pm on Wednesday. Collectors of Salem and Namakkal districts announced a holiday for schools on Wednesday due to heavy rain. Schools and andanwadis will remain closed in Dharmapuri district on Thursday.
Salem district collector R Brindha Devi banned tourist and heavy vehicles on the main ghat road from Salem to Yercaud till Friday. Vehicles have been banned on the Salem- Kuppanur -Yercaud route too till Friday. “We have banned vehicles as a precautionary and safety measure due to rain,” she said.
A portion of the compound wall of Balabharathi Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Salem collapsed in rain on Wednesday. No one was injured.
Dharmapuri district collector R Sadheesh banned bathing and coracle ride in the Cauvery river at Hogenakkal as the inflow increased to 32,000 cubic feet per second at 6am on Wednesday.
A meteorological department official said most of the top 10 locations in the state with the highest recorded rainfall on Wednesday are situated in Harur taluk in Dharmapuri district. “Theerthamalai in Harur taluk recorded the maximum rainfall of 176 mm,” he said. According to the department’s rainfall data, Mampatty received 129.2 mm, Paraiyapatty 119.6 mm, Suriyakadai 114.6 mm and Harur 106 mm of rain.
Erode district collector S Kandasamy said six houses had suffered partial damage in Gobichettipalayam, Sathyamangalam and Kodumudi taluks due to rain. “A partial relief of Rs 6,500 each has been provided to all six houses,” he said.
Landslips were reported from Anthiyur taluk. Also, landslips occurred in the Hasanur and Dhimbam ghat sections in Thalavadi taluk as well as in Kadambur and Kuthiyalathur in Sathyamangalam taluk. “Vehicular traffic was restored after removing boulders laying on the roads,” he said. He said in some areas, roads and overpasses have been completely damaged. Measures were being taken to repair them immediately, enhance traffic flow and find a permanent solution, he added.
The Krishnagiri district administration issued a flood warning to people living on banks of the Chinnar river as the Chinnar dam approaches its maximum capacity of 32.8 feet. The water level reached 31.8 feet on Wednesday evening.
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