Puducherry: As heavy rain continues to lash Puducherry, water has entered residential areas, causing severe hardship to the public.
With the northeast monsoon having begun on the 15th, rain has been falling in Puducherry for the past few days. Meanwhile, a low-pressure area persists over the Bay of Bengal.
The Meteorological Department has said that this may intensify into Cyclone “Arnab” tomorrow over the central-western Bay of Bengal and could cross the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Following this, a cyclone warning signal number 1 has been hoisted at the Puducherry port.
As a result, heavy rain lashed Puducherry from early this morning. In this situation, 9.7 cm of rainfall was recorded from 5:30 p.m. yesterday to 8:30 a.m. today. The rain in Puducherry continued until around 11 a.m.
Since about 10 cm of rain poured down in around 3 hours, floodwaters surged through the main canals, including the Periya Vaikkal, Uppanaru Vaikkal, and Vellavari Vaikkal.
Moreover, rainwater accumulated in low-lying areas including Krishna Nagar and Rainbow Nagar. Since rainwater also entered homes, the public has been facing severe hardship. Similarly, traffic congestion occurred at major signals such as Indira Gandhi Signal, Rajiv Gandhi Signal, and Shivaji Statue Signal, as well as on roads like the 45 Feet Road and the Murungappakkam Cuddalore - Puducherry Road, because rainwater flooded the area like a deluge. Rainwater also flowed heavily on the newly laid Villupuram - Nagapattinam four-lane road.
As a result, motorists were severely inconvenienced, and the normal life of the public was also affected. Likewise, tourists who had come to Puducherry were unable to go out and were stranded in lodges and hotels. In addition, Sunday market vendors also struggled to set up their shops today, affecting business.
Due to the low-pressure system, strong winds may blow over the Bay of Bengal, so the Fisheries Department has advised Puducherry fishermen not to venture into the sea until the 27th. In particular, a warning has been issued that strong winds may blow from today over the central-western and adjoining central-eastern parts of the Bay of Bengal.
Lieutenant Governor’s inspection:
In view of the heavy rainfall, Lieutenant Governor Kailashnathan inspected the flow of water in the Nonankuppam Sunaimbaru stream. He had a blockage in the drainage path of the Sunaimbaru flyover cleared with the help of someone present there and arranged for the accumulated rainwater to drain away.
Minister’s inspection: Public Works Department Minister Malladi Krishna Rao, District Collector Kulothungan, and Public Works Department officials inspected the impact of the heavy rain in Puducherry.
First, he inspected the Integrated Command and Control Center and inquired about the nature of the rain. Following this, he inspected the low-lying areas and residential neighborhoods of Shivaji Statue Junction, Krishna Nagar, and Ezhil Nagar, and also reviewed the work of pumping out rainwater using electric motors through the Public Works Department.
The minister also held discussions on whether rainwater was flowing properly in all the canals and on taking appropriate measures to ensure that rainwater does not stagnate permanently in low-lying areas.
Boats moored in the boat yard:
Due to the heavy rain in Puducherry, water is surging in the Chunnambaru River. As a result, boat rides were suspended after water reached up to the Nonankuppam boat club platform.
The boats were also safely hauled ashore and parked. Tourists who came to the boathouse returned disappointed. Officials said boat rides will resume once the water level in the river recedes and normalcy returns.
