The BRICS TimesHeavy Northeast Monsoon Rains Lash Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin Assesses Situation and Mandates Precautionary Measures
Monsoon Intensifies: Alerts Issued
The Northeast monsoon gained strength across Tamil Nadu. The regional weather office issued a heavy rainfall alert. This warning was for several districts on Tuesday. Chief Minister M K Stalin reviewed the situation. He directed officials to implement precautionary measures quickly. A ‘red’ alert was issued for eight districts. An orange alert was sounded for Chennai for Tuesday. Widespread rains soaked various state parts. This information came from the Met department.
CM Reviews Preparedness and Alerts
Stalin assessed the precautions being taken in the city. Surrounding districts were also under review. The Cauvery delta districts have seen continuous heavy downpour. A red alert was issued for Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, and Ramanathapuram. An official from the Regional Meteorological Centre confirmed this. A similar alert was also issued for Puducherry union territory. The official warned of likely heavy rain in the entire north coastal belt. Extremely heavy rain is expected in the aforementioned districts. An orange alert was sounded for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari. A red alert signifies extremely heavy rain, over 20 cm in 24 hours. An orange alert means very heavy rain, 11 cm to 20 cm.
Relief Measures and Infrastructure Work
In Chennai, CM Stalin held a video conference with district collectors. He instructed them to prepare relief camps for affected people. “All arrangements should be made for people, including food, drinking water and medicine,” he stated, as per an official release. To lessen rain damage, the CM advised teams to ready necessary equipment. This includes JCB machines, boats, motor pumps, trucks, and saws. Earlier, Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin inspected infrastructure development. He reviewed renovation work in the south Chennai area. This work aims to improve waterways. Flood water can flow easily into the sea during the monsoon season. These works involve deepening, widening, and building covered canals. Stormwater drains and desilting at canal-sea junctions are also included. Udhayanidhi visited Okkiam Madhavi canal. Work is progressing there at a cost of ₹27 crore. He also inspected desilting work in the Kannagi Nagar area.
Impact on Agriculture
Relentless rains near Ambasamudram, Tirunelveli, have impacted thousands of acres of paddy. This is according to local farmers. Farmer Subramaniam from Kakanallur village spoke to PTI Videos. He said there was no break between monsoons this year. This left no time for paddy harvesting. “Fields are still standing with ripe paddy. If it continues to rain, farmers here will be affected. One thing the government can do to relieve our burden is enable door-step procurement of rice as soon as we finish harvesting,” he explained. He noted that even the harvested paddy could not be collected. This was due to the early onset of the Northeast monsoon. In several visited areas, paddy stalks were seen bent over. Some stalks had begun sprouting from the base. The Northeast monsoon intensified across Tirunelveli. It affected agricultural villages like Mannarkoil, Ayan, Thiruvaalieswaram, Kakanallur, Vaigaikulam, and Bramadesam.
