Rain to Abate in Tamil Nadu, Toll Climbs to 70

Chennai, Nov 16 (IANS) The low pressure developing over the Bay of Bengal brought intermittent heavy showers here on Monday, even as the death toll from rain-related incidents in the past one week climbed to 70.

The weather department forecast easing down of rains in the coming days.

While there was no official toll put out by the state government, unofficial estimates placed the number of deaths due to torrential rain at 70.

Weather officials said the depression was moving towards Andhra Pradesh and the rain in Tamil Nadu would slowly abate.

However, heavy rain was expected in Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Arakkonam and Chennai and rescue teams have been deployed there.

Officials said whether the depression would intensify into a cyclone could be ascertained later.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Monday announced a solatium of Rs.400,000 to the families of each of the 12 persons who had lost their lives in rain-related incidents across the state.

Jayalalithaa also visited the rain-affected areas in the state capital.

The city got steady showers throughout Sunday night resulting in water- logging of residential localities and roads.

Rain water entered houses in several places in the city and in many places people remained awake past midnight to keep a check in case the rain water entered their houses.

Most of the city roads were under knee-deep water forcing people to stay confined to their homes. Schools and colleges were closed in as many as 15 of the total 32 districts in Tamil Nadu.

With the filling up of the Chembarambakkam lake that quenches the thirst of Chennai, surplus water is being released as a precautionary measure.

The Chennai administration has warned people living along the Adyar river to move to safer places.

As the city suburbs remained submerged, fire service personnel were using boats to take the stranded people to safer places. Fallen trees disrupted traffic at several places in Chennai.

Medical teams were visiting the water-logged areas to monitor the medical situation there.

NGO World Vision India joined in the relief work here distributing dry ration, non-food items and dignity kits to around 250 beneficiaries, the organisation said in a statement.

Owing to the rains, the Southern Railway cancelled, diverted or rescheduled some of its train services on Monday.

On November 9, a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal crossed near the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast, resulting in heavy rain.