Tragedy struck Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi and Salem districts as two individuals lost their lives to lightning strikes amidst heavy downpours, pushing the state’s rain-related death toll to four this monsoon season.
Earlier incidents include the unfortunate demise of a 17-year-old boy swept away in flash floods at Courtrallam waterfalls, Tenkasi district, and a man killed in a roof collapse in Madurai. Additionally, seven huts and 14 cattle have been reported damaged.
Rains lashed various districts in the south, west, and delta regions, with notable downpour recorded in Kamudhi, Ramanathapuram (12.44 cm), Tallakulam, Madurai (10.8 cm), and Pullambadi, Trichy (9.8 cm).
The Meteorological Department warns of extremely heavy rains in pockets of Kanniyakumari, Theni, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi on Tuesday, with heavy to very heavy rains expected in Virudhunagar, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Dindigul districts. The forecast for the next three days predicts continued heavy rains in the southern, western, and delta regions.
To address the escalating situation, the Tamil Nadu government has mobilized the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in Kanniyakumari, Coimbatore, and Nilgiris districts. Moreover, fishermen are cautioned to avoid the sea for five days due to potential windspeeds reaching 40-45 km per hour.
Anticipating further developments, the MET department alerts that a low-pressure system may form over the Bay of Bengal on the 22nd, possibly intensifying into a depression by the 24th. Deep-sea fishermen are advised to return before the 23rd to ensure their safety.