Tirunelveli, Oct 26:
Widespread rainfall across Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Thoothukudi districts has increased inflows into dams and water bodies in southern Tamil Nadu, while heavy water flow at waterfalls has prompted authorities to prohibit bathing at Courtallam and Manimuthar as a safety precaution.
Rain accompanied by strong winds and lightning lashed several parts of the region from early Sunday. Papanasam, Vikramasingapuram, Panagudi, Manur and surrounding areas in Tirunelveli district received rainfall. Several parts of Tirunelveli city, including Palayamkottai, Perumalpuram, Vannarpettai, Town and Thachanallur, also experienced heavy showers. A cow died after being struck by lightning in Manur.
The inflow into dams increased following heavy rain in the Western Ghats. Papanasam dam, which has a full reservoir level of 143 feet, rose by a foot to nearly 56 feet, receiving water at 670 cubic feet per second. The water level at Servalar dam stood at 70.37 feet, while Manimuthar dam recorded 63.78 feet.
Other reservoirs in the region also received inflows. Gundar dam, with a capacity of 36 feet, crossed the 34-foot mark, with an inflow of 21 cubic feet per second. Kadana dam stood at 60.50 feet, Ramanathi dam at 52 feet and Karuppanathi dam at 48 feet.
In Tirunelveli district, Uthu recorded the highest rainfall at 26 mm, followed by Nalumukku at 23 mm, Kakkachi at 17 mm and Papanasam at 16 mm. In Tenkasi district, Gundar recorded 35 mm, while Tenkasi and Sengottai received 15 mm each.
The increased flow at Courtallam and Manimuthar waterfalls prompted officials to prohibit bathing to prevent accidents. The restriction disappointed tourists who had arrived for the weekend.
Meanwhile, Thoothukudi experienced cloudy conditions and a spell of heavy rain lasting around 30 minutes on Sunday morning, followed by intermittent drizzle. Rainwater stagnated in low-lying areas. Storm warning signal number one was hoisted at VOC Port to alert vessels about the developing weather system over the Bay of Bengal. Ships were advised to follow safe routes, while fishermen who had ventured into the deep sea were asked to return to shore. Fishermen were also advised not to venture into the sea until October 29 as a precaution against adverse weather.