Rain claims 11 lives in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, Oct 23 (UNI) The Northeast monsoon rains in Tamil Nadu have so far claimed 11 lives in Tamil Nadu, with four people, including a five-year-old girl killed in two wall collapse incidents since last night.

According to reports received at the police headquarters here, three people were killed when a wall collapsed at Vedapatti in Dindigul district and one person at Tiruvottriyur near here, following incessant rain.

Lakshmi(5) was sleeping with her grand parents in a hut at Vedapatti when the wall of a tiled house fell on the hut. Lakshmi was crushed to death on the spot. Her grand parents, who were admitted to Dindigul government hospital, succumbed to injuries this morning, police said.

A man was also killed in another incident of wall collapse at Tiruvottriur in the city last night. His injured wife and son were admitted to hospital, police said.

A report from Thanjavur said three siblings were drowned while taking bath in the Vennar River near Melattoor Village yesterday.

The river was in spate due to incessant rains.

Police said the victims, Rajmohan (18), his brother Saravanan (12) and sister Divya (14) belonging to Kanthavanam Villager near Melathoor went to the river for a bath on Diwali when the mishap occurred.

After the onset of the Monsoon three days ago, four people were killed in Southern districts after they were struck by lightning.

UNI WS AJ DS1432