Death toll due to rain-related incidents rises to 48

Chennai, Oct 31 (UNI) The toll due to rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu since the onset of Northeast monsoon rose to 48 with nine deaths reported since last night.

While three people were electrocuted at suburban Mangadu, three small girls were washed away in flash floods while crossing the Pambai river, Villuppuram district.

In the same district, bodies of two children were washed ashore while playing near the Vengayakurichi check dam near Kelvarayan hills, while a two-year-old girl fell into a pond and drowned today.

Reports received here said Siva, a washerman in Mangadu, and his children Rajalakshmi and Vignesh were charred to death at their Mangadu home after a fire broke out due to electrical short circuit.

A report from Villuppuram said Kuppammal, 30, along with her three children, - Sarasu (six), Sandhya (four) and Sharmila (two) - were crossing the Pambai river from Edapalayam to reach Thirumathur, when they were caught in swirling waters.

Seeing the four being washed away, a local man jumped into the river to save them. However, he managed to rescue only Kuppamal, who was later admitted to the Government Hospital here.

In another incident at Villuppuram, Madhavan and Manthiri, both aged seven, were playing near a check dam when they were washed away yesterday. The bodies were traced today. Similarly, the body of Tamizharuvi (two), who fell into a pond while playing, was found floating today. The body was fished out by locals.

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