Flood warning in Amaravathi bankment areas, monsoon 'furious

Chennai, Oct 25 (UNI) With the NorthEast monsoon active, the Cauvery delta areas have been experiencing heavy rain, affecting standing crops in several acres, even as authorities issued a flood warning in the bankment areas of river Amaravathi.

Official sources said due to heavy inflow into the Amaravathi river, where the water level touched 85 ft as against 90 ft, the flood warning had been issued in about 56 villages in the bankment areas in Coimbatore, Erode and Karur districts.

A road bridge in South Pichavaram was washed away in flash floods affecting vehicular traffic.

Schools in several districts, including Cuddalore, Tiruvarur, Salem and Villuppuram were closed due to heavy rains.

Officials have also banned plying of heavy vehicles in Yercaud hills due to landslides.

Reports received here said crops in about 300 acres were submerged in the Cauvery delta districts of Thanjavur and Tiruvarar which had been experiencing heavy rains for the last two days.

Cuddalore district also bore the brunt of the monsoon fury with the district administration gearing up to meet any eventuality.

Already people in about 25 houses were evacuated to safer places as flood waters entered their hosues, District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo said.

As Veeranam lake had been receiving heavy inflow, about 54,000 sand bags were readied to fill any breach. The revenue and police departments have been put on alert. The Civil supplies department has also been asked to keep adequate buffer stock in the flood prone areas.

UNI